The Sweetest Revenge
by This Little Lady
Summary: EPILOGUE! The moment Matt saw Mimi, he had to have her She was the sexiest woman he'd ever seen! But for Mimi, the sweetest revenge was to make him want her, then cut him off! Will it work? [COMPLETED]
1. Default Chapter

Hi, guys! It's been a while, huh? I missed you all. It feels so good to be back & write again…mind you, but I'm still on vacation. Hehe! I just thought that you might want an idea of what's coming up next, so I decided to post the first chapter of this story, which is taken from this romance novel that I have read a couple of months ago. Anyways, the rating might come up later on…yeah, you're right, there are intimate stuff in here. Hehe! I hope it will be a success. And please give me your thoughts & reviews after you read it. Thanks!

_**+The Sweetest Revenge+**_

**Chapter One: The Plan**

Monday morning &, as usual, the staff of Media Promotions was abuzz with the swapping of weekend news before everything settled down to work. Yamato Ishida exchanged only brief greetings as he walked to his private office, followed by his friend & business partner, Taichi Kamiya. The moment his door was shut, he released his pent-up anger to the one person who _should_ understand his situation.

"You know what Katya told me last Saturday, after I called off our planned outing _once again_?" he exploded.

"Something undoubtedly designed to cut you off at the knees," came the voice of experience.

Matt grimaced, remembering that Tai had just been through a nasty break-up with a live-in girlfriend. "She said what I really wanted was a toy doll whose feelings wouldn't be hurt from being left on a shelf until I had time for playing."

"Sounds good! A toy doll wouldn't nag."

"Better still, a fairy princess doll…"

"Yup, beautiful, glamorous, long hair, sparkling eyes, a smile to warm a man's heart…"

"With a magic wand that would give me the energy to be the kind of lover that even a plastic toy would expect of a man."

"Ooh…we're getting into kinky stuff here."

"Tai, this is serious. And we are going to have a serious discussion."

With eyebrow's raised, Tai asked, "About women?"

"About business," Matt glared at his friend as he sat on his chair. "Take a seat & wipe that smirk off your face. This is dead serious."

"The man is wounded," Tai muttered, sitting into a chair with a mournful expression. Seeing Matt's irritation, he made an effort to present a suitably serious countenance. It was dangerous to anger Matt in this mood. He was the darkly brooding type…a smart-ass guy who can do almost anything…and he often needed a little bit of cheering up, but this was not the moment.

They were opposites in many ways. Even in looks. Matt - tall, blonde, blue eyes, had a face & body stamped with masculinity, both physical & mental. Oddly enough, Tai never felt intimidated by him. While he himself was only average height, having messy brown hair & brown eyes, he had the gift to gab & attract any woman he wanted.

They made a great team…the design king & the salesman…and Tai was not about to allow anything to disturb it. Besides, his partner's mental well-being was of big importance to their success.

"Business!" Matt tapped the desk with a strong index finger for emphasis. "You know how much stuff the internet has taken off, Tai. I'm buried under. I need two more graphic designers to help take the load."

"That will cut into out profits," he warned.

"I need a life, too," Matt bit out.

Tai rolled his eyes. "Just because Katya got in a fight with you over not getting your undivided attention? She doesn't own you, Matt, & take it from me…"

Blue lightning flashed straight back at him. "I take a lot from you, Tai. You're a great salesman & we're doing good, but I will not work to this pressure anymore."

Hands instantly lifted into surrender. "Okay, okay, as long as this is YOU talking & not Katya. You always said if we worked like dogs until we're thirty…"

"I'll be 28 next week. Both of us earned over five million last year.."

"And may well earn twice this year."

"But we've paid a price for it. You lost your girlfriend…"

"There you go, bringing back women into it…"

"Damn it, Tai! I want a life beyond work, even if you don't. I'll be 28 next week, two years & I'll be thirty. Enough's enough. I need more staff."

"Okay, okay, I'll ask around. Look for someone good for you."

Matt held up two fingers.

Tai sighed. Two more salaries to pay. "So we'll get someone good & one out of design school to be trained. How's that?"

"Cheapskate."

"Not at all. It's common sense to train them our way. You know that, Matt."

Matt privately considered the point, but was not about to relax his stance on the issue. "Get right into it, Tai. And don't be giving me any delays. I don't care what it costs. It will damn cost more if I reach burn-out."

"Don't mention that word!" Horror-struck, Tai rose from his chair. "Your wish is my command, old friend. I shall go forth this moment & hunt for a computer geek."

"Shut-up, Kamiya. Don't forget a trainee, as well."

"No problem, they'll be storming the portals to get here." He strode to the door & paused, looking back with cynical eyes. "I bet Katya is still coming to your birthday bash. She likes what your money can buy. Don't forget that when she turns the screws again."

"Business, Tai," Matt reminded him, & he went.

On edge, disgruntled with his world, Matt turned to his computer, switched it on, & tried to settled himself to work. But Tai's words were stuck in his mind. The fight he had with Katya ended with her saying that the party would be his last chance with her. If he didn't make a move to reorganize his life…

His lips tightened. She'd gone too far, expecting him to order his life to suit her. It wasn't as if he was being unfaithful, taking out other women when she's not looking. And she certainly didn't mind him spending the big money he earned, always asking him to take her to the most fashionable & exquisite restaurants, and get the best seats at the live shows she wanted to see. Tai was right about her using him for all he could give.

In fact, she was becoming an unreasonable bitch, picking fights at the end of the night which inevitably turned him off wanting to have sex with her. Not that he lacked the energy, but it was more of not having the desire.

_His last chance…_

He had a good sense of ending their relationship before his party, which she didn't want to miss. All the young successful men who were making there mark in business would be there for her to cast her eyes on. Maybe he would cast his eyes around, too. There had to be someone who'd be more amenable to his needs…who wouldn't mind occupying her own life while he dealt with the stimulating challenge of business.

* * *

Tai headed for his own private office, thinking how he can smack Katya's face without him ending up in court. That stupid selfish trouble-making bitch is giving them all a headache. She pumped Matt for all he was worth & never gave anything back., as far as Tai could see. Maybe he should hire some party girls for Matt's birthday bash, show him there are many more fish in the sea. 

Tai smiled. He's a genius. Why not hire a fairy princess? With a magic wand that would turn Katya Wells into an ugly croaking frog.

* * *

"_Surprises_," Sora Takenouchi announced brightly, tucking the telephone receiver on her shoulder as she reached for a pen & paper. "How may we surprise you?" 

"_You do acts for birthday parties?" _A male voice answered.

"Yes, we do, sir. What do you have in mind? We have the Pretty Roses, The Adorable Animal Farm, The Bananas…"

"_I want a fairy princess with a magic wand to sing 'Happy Birthday' & sprinkle some sparkle around."_

She smiled at her friend & business partner, Mimi Tachikawa, who still felt exhausted from yesterday's clown act for twenty screaming five-year-olds. "We have the perfect fairy princess fro you," Sora answered with proud confidence.

Mimi rolled tired eyes at Sora. Clearly she needed a sprinkle of magic dust herself to raise some enthusiasm this morning. Four children's parties over the weekend was a heavy schedule & a hige energy sucker. On the bright side, the fairy princess job would be a breeze for her, much easier than the clown act.

"What date are you planning it to be?" Sora asked the caller.

"_I want to be sure of the goods first. I need someone who is beautiful…"_

"Absolutely beautiful," Sora assured him, grinning at Mimi.

"_Long hair? All loose…like flowing around her shoulders?"_

"Wavy, okay."

"_Not a wig. It certainly won't do."_

"I promise you it's not a wig."

"_Fine. What about her smile? Nice teeth? A big warm smile?"_

"A dazzling smile. Any dentist would proud of her."

"_Dazzling, huh? Well, that fit's the bill so far. How tall is she?"_

"Tall?" Sora frowned over this requirement.

"_I mean, we're not talking about dressed-up kids here, are we?"_

"No, our fairy princess is a beautiful young woman, about five eight."

Mimi made a face, distorting her lovely features, making her best impression to look like the wicked witch. She poked out her tongue.

"_Great! Just what I expected. One more question, how does her figure rate?"_

"Excuse me?"

"_You know…curves in the right places?"_

"Uh-huh," Sora said, waiting to see how far he would go on this contentious point.

"_She has to be sexy. With all the right curves."_

"Hmm…" _Sexy_ set off alarm bells in Sora's mind & raised a nasty suspicion. They often get weird calls. Time to nail this one down. "Is this a surprise for a children's party, sir?"

"_No, no kids at this party."_

"Would this happen to be a bucks' night?" Sora asked sweetly, ready to pour acid on the idea.

"_Believe me, Weddings are not in the air. This is a big party for my friend's twenty-eighth birthday & I want this act as a special surprise for him."_

"Will there be women, as well as men, attending this party?"

"_Yes, there are. You could say all the bachelors & tycoons of the social-climbing groups of all Japan will be there. I assure you, this is going to be a really big party. Very public & will be held at the Grand Hotel."_

"I see," A bunch of eligible bachelors on the loose was an attractive proposition. "Well, I would have to insist on accompanying my fairy princess to ensure she isn't subjected to any…shall we say, indignities?"

"_No problem. You're welcome to join in the party afterwards. I take it she DOES look sexy."_

Caution dictated Sora's reply. "Her figure is definitely curvy in all the right places, but I wouldn't want anyone to get any wrong ideas about why she's there. This is simple a fairy princess appearance to sing 'Happy Birthday.' Correct?"

"_Absolutely! Oh, I forgot to ask, can she sing? I mean…really sing?"_

"She has toured the country as a professional entertainer. Is that good enough?"

"_Great!"_

_This is going to cost you big, Mister_, Sora decided as she proceeded to get party details & settle on the payment.

* * *

Mimi was stunned at the outrageous fee Sora was demanding for this gig. _No problem about making a profit next week_, she thought gratefully. Ever since thee started _Surprises_, they've been battling to make ends meet, but at least it brought in more regular work than their Country & Western act, & they were settled back in Odaiba. Working in a big city like New York had been fun but not exactly financially rewarding. However, listening to Sora talking on the phone, it was clear the surprise she was arranging was not about entertaining children at all. It sounded somewhat dodgy. 

The telephone receiver clattered down. "Got it!" Sora cried triumphantly, dollar signs sparkling in her amber eyes. She could do a great pixie or Tinkerbell with her short red hair & her slim, rather petite figure.

"Got what exactly?" Mimi demanded warily.

"He didn't even hesitate over the money. It just shows he's really loaded & doesn't mind spending. I just LOVE men like that," Sora bubbled on.

"Are you sure he's not a dirty old man?"

Sora grinned. "He could be a dirty young man. Definitely young, late twenties & a bachelor. Co-owner of Media Promotions." She tilted her head on one side. "Maybe I could ask him to make a website for us. Get clients from the internet."

"We don't even have a computer," Mimi reminded her. Sora's mind invariably soared with wild dreams & pulling her feet back onto the ground was often a difficult task.

She shrugged. "Just thinking ahead. This is really good for us, Mimi. All that money & opportunities…"

"When you get your head out of the clouds with silver lighting, would mind telling me what this is all about?"

She did, virtually dancing around their small living room in excitement as she laid out the party details & the invitation to stay on & mix with the 'crowd' of the country's most eligible bachelors.

"What's this guy's name? The one who booked my fairy princess act," Barbie asked, wondering if there was some way of checking out this _bona fides_ before the night.

"Tai Kamiya."

It struck a nerve. "Tai…" Didn't Matt Ishida had a friend of that name? Some college friend or something? Compelled to know for sure, she asked, "And his partner's name? The birthday boy?"

"Matt Ishida." Sora broke into mad song. "Happy birthday, dear Matt. Happy birthday, dear Matt…"

"Stop it!" Mimi yelled, rising from her chair with clenched fists, so violent was the rush of emotion _that name_ had stirred.

Sora stopped dead, gaping at her as though she was mad. "What's wrong?"

As quickly as shock drained the blood from her face, the memory of the worst hurt & humiliation of her life poured back into it. "Don't you remember?"

"Remember what?"

Above flaming cheeks, Mimi's caramel brown eyes turned to icy daggers as she remembered the man who broke her heart into little pieces. "Seven years ago I sang at Yamato Ishida's twenty-first birthday party."

Sora still looked non-pulsed. "You did?"

"Yes, I did. And I poured it all out to you at the time…how he…" She bit off the painful recollection & faced Sora with blazing resolve. "I will never…ever…sing for him again!"

"But…uh-oh!" The memory finally caught up with her. She grimaced. "The guy you had a big crush on when we were school kids."

"Yes, ever since I was ten!" Mimi's voice shook with the violence of feeling the memory stirred.

She LOVED Matt Ishida with all she was, & he totally rejected that love by preferring what a sexy bitch with a flashy car could give him. Which undoubtedly proved he wasn't the person she believed him to be, and she felt really crushed.

"A lot of water under the bridge since then, Meems," Sora pleaded.

True, yet she carried that deep misery with her all the way. No other man had even scratched the surface of what she once felt for Yamato Ishida. He destroyed her faith in love & probably destroyed her belief in dreams, too.

"It's only a ten minute act," Sora argued. "It will help us financially." Her hands lifted in appeal. "He probably won't even recognize you. You had braces on your teeth then & your hair was dyed pink…"

Yes, Mimi remembered how Matt's friends teased her because of her pink hair. They called her a pink squid. She hated it.

"You were a skinny girl when we were teenagers. You're much more mature in your looks now."

"That's not the point," she flared. "I won't sing for HIM. You do it, Sora."

"Oh, yeah…like I have long hair & tall & sexy as you are. Come on, Mimi, the fairy princess act is yours, not mine. Besides, I promised Tai Kamiya no wig."

"Cancel it then. Let him find someone else."

"And lose all that lovely money? Not to mention the chance to meet wealthy bachelors?" She shook her head & walked towards Mimi, the glint of determination in her eyes. "Best for you to calm down & think reasonably about this. If the thought of Yamato Ishida can hurt you so much after seven years…you've got a real problem, and it's time you face it & get over it."

Mimi sat down, not wanting to argue with her friend but stubbornly resolved on sticking to her guns. She would not sing for Matt Ishida. Never!

"Remember the other side of our business…_The Sweetest Revenge_?" Sora informed as she settled herself on the large padded armrest of the chair.

The idea of someone delivering a bunch of dead roses to a party who had injured or hurt them appealed to quite a few clients. It was a relatively harmless thing for feelings of frustration & anger. At least it stopped people from doing worse things & gave them satisfaction of doing _something_ instead of just being a victim…which was probably true.

Nevertheless, Mimi preferred to pass on those jobs to Sora who liked doing them. Delivering dead flowers to Matt Ishida to demonstrate what she thought about him & his actions wasn't even an option. She wanted no contact with him at all.

"Forget it, Sora. I'd rather face a poisonous snake, & you know how I feel about snakes."

With an expressive shudder, Mimi leaned the other way, resting her elbow on the other armrest. Her friend could argue with her as much as she liked, but on this issue, she wouldn't care less.

"Forget the dead roses. That's not what I've got in mind," Sora assured her.

"Then why bring it up?"

"Because there's nothing like a bit of revenge when someone's done the dirty on you," Sora went on. "Having the last laugh is better. You can get on with your life, knowing you had your little payback."

Mimi rolled exasperated eyes at her. But it didn't stop Sora.

"Revenge is sweet," she declared with relish, her eyes beginning to sparkle again as she spread out her hands like a magician about to perform a marvelous illusion. "Now, imagine this, Mimi…"

* * *

AN: Okay, what do you guys think? The next chapter will (hopefully) be up soon. Oh, yeah, can you help me with something. I'm looking for a nice song, something for a fairy princess. Yes, despite everything, Mimi will go on with the act. It's sort of a little revenge she & Sora planned. But will it work? Find out on chapter two. 

Please pick one of these songs, or write any suggestions if you have one.

1. _Somewhere Over The Rainbow_ from the Wizard of Oz

2. _A Dream Is A Wish Your Heart Makes_ from Cinderella (Disney version)

3. _Once Upon A Dream_ from Sleeping Beauty (Disney version)

4. _Let Me Be Your Wings (Let me be your only love)_ from Thumbelina


	2. Happy Birthday Matt

Here's chapter two. Thank you for the reviews. By the way, I decided to use the Cinderella song. I'm not gonna put the words though, just the melody. (Kynna, if you're reading this, I have other plans for LMBYW.) Don't forget to review guys!

Oh, I'd also like to point out that in this stroy, Matt is two years older than Mimi.

**josiewitchgirl** - I guessed you must've misunderstood. Mimi used to wear braces back when she was a teenager.

**Chapter Two: Happy Birthday Matt**

Mimi was literally trembling as she waited to make her entrance. She shouldn't have let Sora talk her into this. Mimi actually believed that seeing Matt's face might mend the scars on her heart. Especially when she sprinkled stardust over him, turning him into _the child_, with her being _the adult_, falsely smiling at him.

Sora called it sweet revenge, but right now Mimi seriously doubted that anything about this gig could turn out sweet. She would hate it if Matt Ishida didn't recognize & remember her, and she would hate it if he did. And it was useless to even try to pretend SHE had forgotten him.

Nevertheless, she was here, outside the Grand Hotel. Someone inside was making a speech…Tai Kamiya?…to bursts of applause & laughter. Sora informed that there are about a hundred guests, dressed in very trendy & expensive suits, and definitely a wealthy crowd.

Mimi was standing out of sight behind their car while Sora stood at the entrance, watching the program until the vital moment came. With the car close by, at least she could make a fast getaway. Ten minutes…just ten minutes…of being a fairy princess and she could be out of here. Sora, of course, didn't want to leave. She was all dressed up to a party in a slinky green satin slip dress…a very sexy pixie tonight…but she promised she would find her own way home if Mimi wanted to take off.

A burst of applause made her heart skip. Sora held up her hand, the signal to get ready. Mimi briefly closed her eyes & prayed that her wings wouldn't fall off, that the long train of her dress wouldn't catch on anything, that her vocal chords wouldn't collapse on her, & that the stardust mechanism on her wand would work without a hitch. One perfect performance, she pleaded, for this one night.

* * *

Tai Kamiya grinned around at his audience as the applause for his speech died down. "Please…hold your seats, everyone. We have a special surprise coming up for Matt, just to add a little bit of magic to his 28th year of life."

He made a signal to the bandleader & stepped off the stage, starting a buzz of speculation around the tables. Matt watched his friend striding across the dance floor to their table. Tai was certainly in top form tonight. He pulled off an entertaining speech & now he was about to pull something else out of his hat of amusing tricks.

Tai was a great party guy, Matt reflected, smiling at the high energy still radiating from him as he took his seat at their table. Over the years they had a lot of fun together…all throughout college, setting up the business & running it. Long-time friends & always will be, Matt thought, knowing each other probably better than any women in their lives ever would.

The band started playing something he didn't recognize until the violinist came in with the melody. Then Matt burst out laughing at Tai. "This song is from Cinderella."

"There's more to that, man."

"A bit childish, isn't it, Tai?" Katya sniped.

Matt gritted his teeth, biting down the urge to tell Katya to take a hike. She'd been in a bad mood all evening…criticizing everything…and very soon he was going to advise her to join another table.

Tai gave her a smile that smacked off sweet satisfaction. "I'm giving Matt a touch of romance, Katya. He needs it."

Matt felt Katya bristle & braced himself for another snide sling off him. The surprised calls of "Oh, look!" and "Wow!" from other guests came a relief, drawing their attention to where everyone else was looking. Turning around in his chair, Matt was initially hit with stunned disbelief.

A gorgeous glittering brunette with fairy wings? Then he took in the total image & barely stifled a glorious bubble of laughter. Tai…obviously…got him a fairy princess with a magic wand! Katya, of course, would not appreciate the joke, but Matt no longer cared what Katya thought.

He smiled at the fairy princess. He wouldn't be leaving HER on a shelf for long if he had her in his arms, & he wouldn't need any magic to spark off desire either. She was the best looking fantasy he'd ever seen in his whole life.

The long sliver evening dress shimmered around sexy curves & the clingy fabric clearly revealed there was no artful underwear involved in creating the sexy effect. This was all a living, breathing woman, so perfect she could have emerged from the pages of a fairytale.

Her lovely face was made even more beautiful by a smile that could have made anyone fall on their knees. A delicate diamond tiara crowned a long wavy flow of silky brown hair which looked all the more beautiful by the fairy wings with their fine network of silver loops & glitter.

A princess indeed, Matt thought, and hoped she would grant his wish for her to stay on at the party so they could work some magic together.

* * *

_So far, so good_, Mimi told herself, smiling so hard her face ached. She made it up the aisle between the tables from the entrance to the dance floor without a making a fool of herself. Her _surprise_ appearance certainly came as a surprise & she was intensely grateful that the response from the guests was positive…no cat-calling or anything indecent, just a buzz of wonder & appreciation & a high sense of anticipation for what would happen next.

She spotted Matt Ishida as she stepped onto the dance floor. Tai told Sora that he & the birthday boy would be at the table directly opposite where the band was set up, & there they both were, Tai excitedly pointing at Matt to identify him as the guest of honor.

Mimi nodded to show she understood. Matt was happily smiling at her, looking even more handsome than she remembered. A dark blue shirt enhanced the depths of his ocean blue eyes…eyes that were gobbling her up as though she was everything his heart desired.

For a moment, her heart leapt with joy…Matt loving her image. Then her mind savagely kicked in…_lust, not love you fool._ He probably have the same look for a curvaceous woman in a bikini popping out of a birthday cake.

Her gaze slid briefly to the woman sitting next to him…masses of long black hair, pouty red lips & a dress that showed elegance & sexiness undoubtedly attracted him…out of the same mould as the girl he chose on his twenty-first birthday. Without a moments hesitation, Mimi hated her. And it was obvious the woman was hating her right back.

Unconsciously, a sweet sense of satisfaction swept through Mimi. She gave Matt an extra warm smile before turning to walk on the small stage where the microphone was waiting. _Let him lust after her instead of his black-haired friend_, she thought wickedly & did a more seductive sway to her hips to help him focus his attention where she wanted it.

Sora was right about revenge. It would certainly give a boost to her pride if Matt ended up panting after her tonight. Of course, it would mean he was a shallow jerk, but proving that beyond a doubt might help her finally get over him. And then she would crush him & walk away…walk away forever!

Her arrival on the stage was on time with the last chords of the Cinderella song. The musicians were grinning at her, obviously enjoying the effectiveness of her appearance. The bandleader winked his approval & another wicked idea slid into her mind.

"Do you know Marilyn Monroe?"

The old man nodded.

"Remember when she sang 'Happy Birthday' to president Kennedy?" she whispered.

He nodded again, this time his eyes were twinkling with mischief.

"I want that tempo, okay?"

"You got it, lady."

She took the microphone & swallowed a couple of times to moisten her throat. One of her great talents was doing a good impersonation. She hoped she could pull this one off tonight. It was worth trying, anyway even if her voice did waver off the note. If it was sexiness that turned Yamato Ishida on, she'd pour it out for him.

The audience silenced. Sora gave her a thumbs up sign from where she stood near the entrance. Tai Kamiya leaned forward, saying something to Matt at their table. The black-haired sex-pet looked furious. Matt flashed a grin at his friend & ignored the woman beside him, turning his back to her as he concentrated his attention on the fairy princess about to sing for him. No polite attention, Mimi noted triumphantly, but lustful attention!

The band started a vibrant intro. Mimi took a deep breath & lifted the microphone close to her mouth so she could purr into it.

"Ha…ppy birth…day" another big breath, "dear…Matt…"

A ripple of amusement ran around the crowd. Matt tilted his head back in delight, a low chuckle emerging from his mouth…music to Mimi's ears. He was captivated all right.

She repeated the line, putting a huskier edge on her voice. The band paused for her until the appreciative laughter died down, picking up again as she started the third "Happy Birthday", soaring with her as she poured more volume into the high note, then dropping softly to the "Dear Ma…att," into which she pumped a load of seductiveness.

He was not the least embarrassed by it. His head was tilted slightly to one side, like he was hypnotized, wanting her more.

Mimi gave it to him, singing out the last line & loading it with sensual intimacy as she sang "to…you-ou-ou…" her lips rounded in a suggestive oval, sending a long visual kiss.

The crowd, including the hotel staff, erupted with applause. Guys standing up on chairs, clapping hooting & whistling, the women laughed & cheered. Tai jumped to his feet, arms up in the air, drinking the credit of being a magnificent party planner.

But Matt didn't even glance at his friend, or at his cheering guests. His gaze was burning up a line that led him straight to his fairy princess, & Mimi didn't feel her face ache at all as she smiled some sizzling heat right back at him. She placed the microphone on its stand & stepped down the stage, confident for the final part of her act.

"Everybody join in singing now," Tai shouted, swinging around & showing off more enthusiasm.

The band broke into more jolly version of 'Happy Birthday' & everyone who wasn't already standing, rose to give loud cheers to the only man who remained seated. Mimi saw the black-haired woman put her hands on Matt's shoulders as she walked towards him with her wand raised.

If Matt felt them, he showed no sign of it. Not even glancing at the woman behind him. His eyes remained fixed on the fairy princess approaching him.

Mimi feasted on the sense power this gave her. It was more exhilarating than any applause she had ever received for entertaining people. Her stomach was contracting in spasms of delight. Her breasts seemed to thrust themselves out more, peaking & tingling. Her hips swayed in voluptuous provocation, & her thighs sliding sensuously against each other with every step she tool towards him. She was intensely conscious of every part of her femininity, as though it had not only been awakened to a new level of awareness, but aroused to high fever intensity.

Matt was facing her, still seated but with his face looking up when she stopped in front of him, barely a step away. His eyes were locked on hers, exploring her, wanting her.

"Make a wish," she said huskily, smiling as she lifted the wand over his head & pressed the button on the silver rod, opening the star at the end of it to release a shower of silver glitter. It speckled his hair, his nose, his cheeks, & the brilliant blue of his eyes suddenly seemed to become more piercing & magnetic in its intensity.

She bent to bestow a fairy kiss on his cheek. All she could hear was her heart beating furiously. She saw his lips part slightly & temptation seized her. Instead of her mouth landing on his cheek, an irresistible force dragged it down to his lips.

The moment the first electrifying contact was made, was the last Mimi had any control over. Without leaving her mouth, Matt stood on his feet. He put a hand through her hair, carefully tilting her head back while his mouth dominated hers as his other arm went to the small of her back to pull her closer to his highly energized body.

It was like no other kiss Mimi had experienced in her whole life…a wild kiss that electrified every nerve, a storming kiss that reduced her mind to a whirlpool of fantastic sensation, an intoxicating passionate kiss that made her body tingle with desire. Enthralled by these overwhelming factors, she was unaware of the removal of her wand from her hand. In fact, she didn't even realize where her hands were.

With a shocking abruptness, the mouth that brought such intense heat pulled away from hers. The harsh words, "What the hell!" rang in her ears. Her eyes flew open just at the star at the end of her wand was slammed down on Matt's right shoulder. Glitter sprayed from the impact.

"I'll give you fucking magic!" A woman's voice shouted & the wand lifted, ready to crash down again.

Matt's hand quickly disengaged itself from Mimi's hair & threw up an arm to stop the mad woman. "Quit it, Katya!"

"YOU quit it!" she called back. Katya, the black-haired witch! Still dazed about the kiss, Mimi stared at the furious attacker, feeling oddly detached from the emotional violence playing across the other woman's face.

"How dare you kiss HER in front of ME!" she snarled as Matt turned to grab the damaging wand from her.

Katya whipped it out of his reach & advance on Mimi who was now standing at Matt's side, open to frontal assault. Katya's red mouth formed an ugly smirk as her arm swung back to deliver another blow, this time aimed at Mimi's head.

"And you…you fairy cow…can milk someone else for sex! Matt is mine!"

It was Tai who caught the wand in mid-swing, pulled it out of her grasp & tossed it onto the dance floor. "Cool it, Katya!" he commanded.

Being weaponless, however, did nothing to lower the raging fury. With arms raised & fingers curled like claws, Katya lunged at Mimi, growling like a tiger. Matt stepped in to block Mimi while Tai knocked Katya's arms down & pinned them to her sides in a smothering hug from behind. Everything happened so fast that Mimi was still in a shocked daze, though her body was quivering in reaction to the chaos.

"Let me go!" Katya screeched.

"Not until you behave," Tai replied.

"Right!" another voice cracked into the crowd. It was Sora. "No indignities you said, Mr. Kamiya!" she reminded him with fury. Her hands were planted on her hips in aggressive mode as she glared at Matt & Tai, who was still holding the struggling Katya.

"Miss Takanouchi…Sora…" Tai started.

"My fairy princess gets grabbed & abused in plain view of a hundred people…"

"I didn't expect she'd be so…"

Sora cut him off. "We did precisely what you ordered , sir. You said you wanted sexy, we give you sexy."

"I know, I know, but…"

"Control, Mr. Kamiya, was in your court."

"I'm doing it. I saved her from being attacked. Katya, apologize to these ladies."

"Ladies? They're no better than whores!" she shrieked.

"More indignities," Sora hammered. She glared at Matt. "Kindly unhand my fairy princess, sir. I am taking her out of this place."

His warm & protective arm was removed, leaving Mimi feeling cold & shivery. He gestured a plea to Sora. "I'm sorry things got out of hand…"

"Perhaps you'll now take them IN hand," Sora shot back. "I expect Mr. Kamiya to escort up out, guaranteeing safety for my fairy princess. And may I say, sir…" hr amber eyes stabbed into Matt's, "your choice of girlfriend is no lady!"

"Who the fuck do you think you are!" Katya shouted.

Sora ignored her, nodding to Mimi. "Don't forget the wand."

Mimi took a deep breath, gathering herself together before stepping away from Matt, trying to maintain the air of dignity as she turned to get the wand.

"No, wait!" Matt called.

Mimi hesitated, still feeling the magnetic pull he held on her, but she resisted it, realizing Sora was right in her judgment to get them out of her, pronto! Nothing good could come out from what just happened. _Revenge_, she decided, _was a very tricky thing to play with_.

"Please…stay!"

It was an almost anguished cry from Matt this time, curling around Mimi's heart, squeezing it & throwing her into confusion. Before she could respond, her wings were grabbed from behind & jerked from the bone slot in the back of her dress. Crying out in horror at the damage that might be done, she swung around to find Matt juggling the wings with an equal expression of horror.

"Sorry…I didn't mean…I just wanted…"

"More indignities!" Sora accused. "Mr. Kamiya…"

"For God's sake, Matt!" Tai begged. "Leave her alone & take Katya from me."

"I don't want Katya!" Matt snapped at him. "She can go jump off a cliff for all I care!"

"You bastard!" The black-haired witch broke free from Tai & smashed Mimi's wings out of Matt's hand with her fists. They fell to the floor & she jumped on them furiously. Sheer shock paralyzed everyone for several seconds.

"No…no…" Mimi cried.

It shot Matt into action, hauling the hysterical woman off her feet & carrying her to the other side of the table where he held onto to her hard to prevent any more harm being done.

Mimi stared down at the broken wings. It took her so many hours to create & it was so beautiful. Tears formed into her eyes. Someone tapped her on the shoulder & offered the wand she was supposed to collect. The sat was hanging at the end of the silver rod. It was broken too.

"You're going to get a huge damage bill for this, Mr. Kamiya," Sora threatened, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"Okay, I'll pay," Tai promised on a ragged sigh. "If we could move on now…"

They moved, Tai leading both Sora & Mimi through the entrance. Tai muttered something about a good joke being bad. Sora blamed him for not providing adequate protection. Mimi stared at the broken wand in her hand.

_A falling star_, she thought. _A wish…Did wishes ever come true?_

* * *

AN: The last sentence made me decide to use the Cinderella song. Poor Mimi. Katya is such a bitch, don't you think? Please, please give me your reviews! Chapter 3 will be up soon! 


	3. Payback's A Bitch

Thank you all for the amazing reviews! Most of you commented on how bitchy Katya is, and I agree with you. Anyways, I have a little bad news for you guys…I'm having a little bit of problem here and I wouldn't be able to update as often as I used to. Sorry, but I'll do what I can to make it up to you. Okay, on with the story!

**Chapter Three: Payback's A Bitch**

Tai swept into Matt's office for their usual Monday morning conference, hoping his friend already got over the birthday disaster, only to be faced with incontrovertible evidence that Matt was still obsessed with it!

"What are those fairy wings doing on your desk?" he demanded in exasperation.

Matt lifted a determined face. "I'm going to fix them."

"And how may I ask will you do that? Katya punched so many holes through them with her stiletto heels, that thing is irreplaceable."

"I am aware of that, Tai." He glowered dangerously. "Which is why I need to get the fabric matched so I can replace it. I hope you don't mind me borrowing your secretary for a while this morning. She probably knows how to…"

"You can't use Rachelle for personal jobs."

"Oh, yeah?"

"This is bull!" Tai exploded. "I said I'd pay the bill for damages & I will, as soon as it comes in."

"I'm going to fix the wings," Matt repeated stubbornly.

"Why?"

"Because I want to… Because it will mean something when I give it back to her."

Tai gave a ling sigh. Matt was definitely out of his mind. He lifted his hands in plea for sanity. "It was just an act. An act I paid for, Matt. Nothing more to that. Just…"

"It turned into something more."

"Okay, she was beautiful. She was sexy & she turned you on. But you don't even know the woman, Matt. She might be…"

"I don't care who she is!" His hand slammed down on the desk as he stood up. "I want to feel that again. I have to know. And I WILL know." He paced around the office, clearly disturbed, his hands moving in agitated gestures. "When I kissed her…I've never experienced anything like it in my entire life before. She's different, Tai."

"Fairy princesses tend to be different, Matt. Kind of like a dream stuff."

That perfectly rational point earned a flash of impatience that said he didn't understand, didn't have the experience to understand. "I can't let it go," came Matt's cold response.

_Completely out of his mind!_ Recognizing a brick wall when he saw it, Tai asked, "So, have you tracked her down yet, arranged to meet under normal circumstances?"

Matt's face twisted with frustration. "I called & called the _Surprise!_ number yesterday & all I got was an answering machine. Then finally, this morning, I reached Sora Takenouchi on the phone, but she refused to tell me the name & address of her fairy princess. She said it's against company policy."

Dead right, Tai thought approvingly. Fantasy & reality didn't mix. Expectations could never be met & it was a stupid waste of time to go chasing them.

Matt grimaced & muttered, "But I'll get it somehow. Sora Takenouchi said something about _Singing Sunflowers_ before I started asking questions. I'll ask my sister-in-law to book that act for her kids. My fairy princess is a singer…right? She might be a sunflower, too."

The desperate hope in Matt's voice told Tai his friend needed help fast or very little creative work was going to be done on the designs they'd been contracted to deliver. He instantly revised his opinion. "No need to go to that trouble, Matt," he soothed.

"I'll do everything," came the punchy reply, his eyes flashing with determination. "I have to find her."

"Sure you do. I understand," Tai quickly added. "All I meant was…leave it to me. I'll have her name & address at your desk before the day ends."

Matt frowned, suspicious of his friend's confidence. "How?" he demanded.

"I'll call Sora Takenouchi, ask her out for lunch as an apology for the mess on Saturday night. Restaurant of her choice, of course. Promise to write out a check for all the damages done. Buttering her up is a piece of cake. As you well know, I am the best salesman in the business."

"What about her company policy?"

"I'll find a loophole. Trust me, Ishida."

Matt gave out a deep sigh, then his eyes narrowed. "You sure about this?"

Tai laughed. "Positive. In fact, I'll enjoy having lunch with that feisty little redhead. I have the feeling Miss Takenouchi & I speak the same language."

"Okay, just don't mess this up, Tai. This is really important to me."

"No problem, Matt, I swear. Just put away those wings off your desk & get to work while I…"

"I'm still going to fix them. If you'd just send Rachelle in here…"

"Okay, fine, but don't take up too much office time on it. It's bad business getting secretaries to do personal jobs, Ishida, and you've got a full schedule, too."

"I just want to ask her advice," he insisted.

"Fine! Catch you later." Tai went off fuming.

_Women!_ he got rid of Katya Wells for good, only to be loaded with another pestering problem. A fairy princess was supposed to take away the troubles, not make it. He should have hired a doll, not a real woman. Big mistake, Tai, he blamed himself. Though there was one bright spot.

A very feisty little redhead. And very cute, too! He wouldn't mind having lunch with Sora Takenouchi at all. Yes, that's definitely a bright spot.

* * *

Mimi was still trying to fix the broken wand when _The Sweetest Revenge_ telephone rang. She frowned at it. Sora had gone off to lunch with Tai Kamiya, assured of getting the damage fee, while she was supposed to deal personally with any bookings that came in. Except Mimi didn't like answering the _revenge_ phone. Why couldn't it have been the _Surprise!_ phone?

"Business is business," she muttered, putting the wand down with a resigned sigh.

Feeling very, very ambivalent about revenge after the disastrous meeting with Yamato Ishida, she reluctantly lifted the receiver & pulled an order pad inside the table drawer. _"The Sweetest Revenge,"_ she stated flatly, unable to project Sora's enthusiasm. "How may I help you?"

"_I want you to deliver a dozen dead roses to a guy named Yamato Ishida at Media Promotions."_

Mimi's heart flipped. Was this the black-haired witch who attacked them with the wand & smashed her wings? "Your name please?"

"_Katya Wells."_

_Katya!_ No mistake about that. Even the voice was putting her teeth on edge…like chalk screeching on a blackboard.

"_And I want you to write just one word on the card - LOSER!"_

"You don't want to add your name?"

"_He'll know who it's from. And before we go any further, I want to know when you can deliver. It has to be today & the sooner the better."_

The demanding tone raised Mimi's hackles. This was definitely a woman who wanted…and expected…to get everything her own way. Nevertheless, a paying customer was entitled to the service they paid for.

"Just a moment while I check," she said with great calmness.

_Loser!_ Well, she bet Katya Wells probably believed Matt valued his relationship with her. If he did, he certainly was a fool to act the way he did at his birthday party. On the other hand, maybe all women had only one value for him, & he thought he found another candidate to fulfill that requirement better then Katya. Was that why he was so determined to get Mimi's name & address?

"_Well? When can you get the dead roses to him?"_

"Possibly by three o'clock."

"_Can't you do it earlier?"_

Not if Sora did the job. But what if she went herself? Dressed in a black suit with her hair tucked up under a hat, big & dark sunglasses on…the image she'd present would be far from the fairy princess she did at Matt's party last Saturday night. And if he did somehow recognize her, she would just reject him. Serve him right for playing fast & loose!

At least he didn't know her as Mimi Tachikawa, so she felt safe about that. No humiliating trip down memory lane would eventuate from this. And it would be…interesting…just to see him again, in his office. Temptation was a terrible, terrible thing.

"We could probably manage two o'clock if every goes well." It was almost twelve now. She needed time to get dressed…

"_Perfect! That would screw up his precious work this afternoon."_

Again Mimi frowned. Katya Wells was a malicious piece of ass & it didn't sit well, being an accomplice to her plans. Yet, how could she judge what had actually gone on between her & Matt? Maybe she knew he was just…a shallow jerk!

"May I have your credit card details, Miss Wells?"

Mimi completed the transaction, her mind turning like wheels over the wisdom of taking this job. Matt's calls to _Surprise!_ proved he wanted to see her again, but he didn't know who she was & Mimi found herself totally charged up over what his response would be if he found out. A sexy fantasy was one thing, reality quite another.

She certainly found out what it was like to be kissed by him…with lustful desire. And she couldn't deny the lustful desire she felt herself. But undoubtedly it had been no more than a highly heated moment, generated by mixed emotions on both sides. His angry outbursts about not caring if Katya took a hike surely pointed to their rocky relationship before Mimi appeared on the scene as a fairy princess.

Revenge… For all she knew, Matt himself might have been taking revenge on Katya for something the black-haired witch had done!

Mimi stared at the order sheet she'd just written. Maybe she shouldn't go. Sora could do it when she came back from her lunch with Tai Kamiya. So what if the delivery was a bit late… No!

She wanted to see Matt for herself. Sora was right about finishing this…this hangover from the past. Saturday night was supposed to have achieved that purpose, but when he kissed her…somehow it just made everything worse, stirring up what she had wanted to put behind her. It would be different today.

Best to go & make sure there was nothing about Matt Ishida that was worth carrying in her memory.

* * *

AN: Sorry if it's a bit short. I'm having a hard time right now, and I hope you understand. I'll try to make the next chapter longer. Don't forget to review!

**A Fire Inside** - hey, so glad to hear from you! Yes, Mimi sang 'Happy Birthday' just like Marilyn Monroe did on JFK's birthday.

**pink writer** - it's been a while, gurl. Hope to hear from you more!

**Mimato-4eva** - wow! You sure are no lazy person. I really appreciate you giving me reviews on both this story & The Whole Package. Thank you so much! Keep reading & reviewing!

**PnkSaKuRaSyAoRaNS2** - hi, it's so nice to hear from you! It's been so long. Anyways, I'm glad you're back. YES, you're still my #1 fan! I hope you don't mind me using your name to be Tai's secretary. Hehehe!

**Zionne** - you've been a really great friend. Thank you for all the love & support. It feels good to be able to talk to someone & tell her everything. Love you, Kynna! Mwah!


	4. Unknown

It's so great to know that most of you love my story! And thank you for the reviews you've given. I'm sad to say this, but this chapter is a bit short…again. Like I said on the previous chapter, I'm having a hard time & it's hard for me to think. So sorry, guys. I promise I'll make it up.

Also, some of you commented on Matt's attitude. Well, first of all, his character is not shallow; second, he's acting like that because he's very intrigued with this lovely "fairy princess." His attitude will eventually change in the following chapters.

**Chapter Four: Unknown**

Matt propped the broken wing as best he could against the file cabinet, then moved a chair up beside them. Rachelle advised him to go to the Fabric Arcade, where every type of fabric can be found. Not feeling quite so certain, Matt wanted to check if it was right.

He undid the parcel, pulled out the full length of the folded fabric & draped it over the chair next to the wings. Stepping back a few paces, he looked from one to the other & felt both relief and satisfaction. The salesman did know his fabrics. It was exactly the same.

A rather tentative knock on his door brought a smile to his face. It was sure to be Rachelle coming in to see if he'd been successful in his lunch-hour quest.

"Come in," he called, not even glancing in the evidence of his achievement.

* * *

Mimi took a deep breath. It's bad enough walking through curious stares on her way to this door. The receptionist looked very doubtful about giving directions to Yamato Ishida's office, & Mimi had been scared of being called back & questioned. But she made it…the all-black outfit made it work for her…and now she was being invited to enter HIS door.

She had to go through with it.

Nevertheless, her heart was beating so fast as she turned the knob & pushed the door open. Her mind was so highly energized, she had the weird sensation of floating as her shaky legs took the few necessary steps to move into the room to face the man & the feelings she'd come to confront.

Except he wasn't facing her at all. Nor even looking at her. His attention was focused entirely on…_her fairy princess wings!_

"See?" he said, gesturing to a long fabric draped over a nearby chair. "A perfect match!"

Total shock made Mimi speechless. Her gaze moved slowly from the silvery fabric to the man who had gone to all this trouble to get it. Why would a jerk like him want to fix her wings? Wasn't Tai Kamiya the one in charge of the damage & replacement process? What's going on here?

She wised she could read Matt's mind. His expression seemed relaxed into a smile, but what did the smile mean? Was he remembering her as the fairy princess, anticipating more from her? Or calculating how to get more?

A convulsive little shiver ran down her spine as she stared at him. He was so very handsome. His long blonde hair brushed the collar of his white shirt. He had a broad shoulder & a sexy butt, outlined by the gray slacks he wore. She remembered her thighs being pressed to the hard muscularity of his, her breast squashing against the hot wall of his chest…

Her nerves leapt in shock as he suddenly turned, looking directly at her, his vivid blue eyes sharp & probing. The lingering smile was instantly wiped from his face & a frown creased his brow as his gaze studied her from head to toe & back again.

Panic plunged Mimi's mind into a fog of fear & set her heart fluttering in wild agitation. Would he…could he…recognize her despite the large dark sunglasses & the black hat that covered her hair & dipped over her forehead? Her fingers tightened more around the base of the cone black tissue paper which held the dead roses. She could use it as a self-protective weapon if she had to.

"Who are you?" he asked.

Thank God! He didn't know. Mimi struggled to gather herself. She was here to do a job, not get shattered again by this man. Every self-protective instinct screamed - _get it right & leave._

"Mr. Yamato Ishida?"

Her voice came out too soft & too husky. She should have swallowed first. He was frowning more suspiciously at her now. Did her tone struck a familiar chord with him? Was he matching it to the way she sung at his birthday party?"

"Yes," he answered, his gaze landing on her mouth, studying it with highly discomforting intensity.

Mimi was drawn into staring back at him, remembering how it felt, how it aroused such a stampede of wild sensations & needs & desires…

Rattled at finding herself so treacherously distracted from hr purpose, she rushed into the set speech for this job. "I hereby present to you _The Sweetest Revenge_."

"What?" he demanded incredulously.

Her nerves jangled at the sharpness of his tone. somehow she found the strength of will to step forward, holding out the bundle of dead roses for him to take. "This was ordered for you," she explained.

"By whom?"

He didn't take the bundle. His hands remained at his sides, his refusal to accept her offering an innate challenge to her presence, & by stepping loser to him, Mimi had the overwhelming sense of having put herself in a danger zone. Her whole body was tingling with an extreme me awakened of his powerful masculinity. She wished she could turn around & run, but she knew instinctively he wouldn't let her.

The black tissue paper from the bundle rustled slightly. She was shaking. Desperate to get out of this scene, she quickly said, "I understand from our client that you will know who the sender is."

"Someone who wants to give a _sweet revenge_ on me?" he asked sarcastically, still not taking the delivery. His eyes were like blue lasers, seeing through the dark cover of her sunglasses. "Now who would that be?"

The lenses were impenetrable, weren't they? He couldn't possibly see through them. Mimi took a deep breath to quell the frantic fears & his gaze instantly dropped to her chest, obviously noting the strain of her full breasts against her figure-hugging suit coat.

"I am merely the messenger, sir," she gabbled, appalled by the responsive hardening of her nipples.

His gaze slowly trailed up her long throat, paused at her mouth again, then lifted to her sunglasses. "I see."

_What did he see?_

If he did recognize her, what did she want to do about it? What does she really want? How could Matt Ishida spark so much…_response_ in her? This wasn't a hang-over from the past. This was here & now!

"A messenger dressed in black, like attending a funeral," he continued. "No doubt emphasizing that the gift is a very black mark against me. And you are paid to perform this act."

Feeling like a pinned butterfly, Mimi squirmed inside at his conclusions. "Yes, sir, I'm paid to do it."

His face hardened & there was a mocking glint in his eyes as he said, "You obviously take pride in superb attention detail. Do you carry through all your paid performance…to the max?"

_He knows._

Mimi could feel it in her bones. And he didn't like it. He didn't like it one bit.

While she felt trapped in a cage of her own making, he reached out & snatched the bundle of dead roses from her, leaving her unshielded from his gaze which one again studied her from head to toe, not so much inspecting the black funeral outfit this time but definitely taking in her sexy figure, making her burn with the sense he was matching it up in his mind to the memory of another act.

Why did she feel so guilty? She didn't do anything wrong, did she? This whole thing started as a need to put a painful memory behind, simply a means to a justifiable end. Inexorably, her gaze was drawn to the broken fairy wings, propped against a file cabinet, & a long fabric obviously bought to fix them.

_Why?_ What was their significance to him?

"A bunch of dead roses," he drawled. "Meaning the end of love?"

She jerked her gaze back to his & uttered the one word that had driven her here. "Closure." Except there could be no closure while such tantalizing questions remained unanswered.

"I beg your pardon?"

"_The Sweetest Revenge_ is about closure," she elaborated, knowing she should go. He already got the delivery so her job was done. Yet she felt paralyzed by her inner confusion.

"Ah!"

He flicked open the card & read what was written inside. _"Loser!_" His mouth curled in irony. "Typical of Katya, wanting to get in the last word, wanting to crawl into my mind again." Again his expressive blue eyes marked her purpose here. "As it happens, she wasted her money on this last little malicious act. It doesn't affect me…at all."

_But the fairy wings did_. They had to or they wouldn't be here.

"Do you get many clients who want this kind of closure?" he asked curiously.

"Quite a few," she replied. Revenge was supposed to be about balancing justice. An eye for an eye, a hurt for a hurt…

"Can the clients specify WHO does the delivery?"

The thought came to her mind that he thought Katya had specifically asked for her to bring the dead roses to him & that she was an accomplice. Which, in a way, she was but she hadn't meant him to recognize her & put two and two together…if he had.

But that was to be a payback for his playing fast & loose, & how could she link playing fast & loose to the time & trouble of buying the fabric to fix her wings? Everything about this scene was wrong & Mimi had the sinking feeling there was no way to put it right.

_Best to get out of here…fast._

"No, the messenger is simply the messenger to both parties. Unknown," she replied emphatically, & took a step backwards, testing if her legs were steady enough for a quick escape.

"Unknown," he repeated, his eyes glittering in a way that shot danger signals through Mimi's entire nervous system.

"Yes," she answered, barely able to draw breath. "And since the delivery has now been made, please excuse me."

She swung on her heel, heading for the open doorway, desperately needing space to rethink this whole situation with Matt Ishida.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, stopping her escape. Then to her utter horror, her hat was yanked from her head & she felt her hair spilling from the pins she used it fasten it out of sight…hair that Matt was absolutely certain belonged to the fairy princess!

* * *

AN: Uh-oh! Mimi's identity was revealed! What will happen now? Find out in the next chapter. Don't forget to review! 


	5. Maruko Iratoshi

Okay, this chapter is the continuation of that little cliffy I had on chapter four. And, as promised, this one is longer. There's also one reviewer who said something about Mimi & Matt having sex…well, all I can sayis that the rating will eventually rise as we go on further with the story. Thank you all for the reviews! lol

**Kaye** - about your question, it meant that Mimi's seeing it through her point of view.

**Chapter Five: Maruko Iratoshi**

Sheer desperation drove Mimi's reaction. It felt as though everything was zooming out of control & she had to hang on to it somehow. Her hands flew up to grab her tumbling hair & she spun around, tearing her shoulder out of Matt's grasp.

"My hat!" she shrieked at him in outraged protest.

His face was set in aggressive determination, his blue eyes blazing a mocking triumph, & he took absolutely no notice of her protest. In lightning-fast speed, he reached out & whipped off her sunglasses, leaving her face totally naked to his view. Naked & hopelessly vulnerable to positive identification.

"So!" His mouth curved into a nerve-shaking smile of sardonic satisfaction. "We meet again. Very intriguing…reincarnation."

Mimi's mind jangled over what he said. The shock of being so abruptly & effectively unveiled was still pounding through her. Her hands remained stuck in her hair. All she could do was stare hopelessly at him as he folded her sunglasses & tucked them into his shirt pocket.

"They're mine," she said, fighting to regain some control.

"Safe-keeping," he assured her & in another startling action, strode right pass Mimi heading towards the door which he not only closed but also guarded, preventing her from escaping. "As well as safe from any interruptions," he added.

Like a powerful magnet, Mimi gazed after him, standing half-turned & watching him, totally mesmerized by what he intended to do next. Her hear was beating so fast she felt like it will explode. Slowly, her hands slid from her hair & her arms dropped limply to her sides, defeated in their quest to ward off the moment that had come, regardless of her efforts to stop it. Her hat was forgotten. Yamato Ishida dominated her entire consciousness.

"From heavenly fairy princess…to dark lady of vengeance," he commented with a wry smile. "Do you enjoy playing mind games?"

The question jolted her mind back into some semblance of working order. "You weren't supposed to recognize me."

His eyebrows lifted challengingly. "So you wanted the upper hand of checking me out while I was under fire from the lovely Katya."

"Something like that," she admitted.

"My relationship with Katya was on the rocks before the party. Neither of us were happy with each other."

"Then why are you still together?"

"The party was planned some time ago. It seemed…" he shrugged, "very ungracious to take back the invitation." His eyes glittered with a surge of desire that encompassed Mimi. "Though I've regretted that mistake ever since," he softly drawled, raising goose bumps on her skin.

"You didn't care about her feelings," Mimi shot back in wild defense, remembering the seven-year-old memory of how he didn't care about her feelings, either. He thanked her for the twenty-first birthday gift she gave him, then put it aside. But when the sexy bimbo with the sports car gave him the same gift…which was a lot of money…he wore it for everyone to see whose offering he prized more.

"Some feelings can override others," he answered.

Yes, like feelings below the belt. _Nothing to do with his heart_, Mimi thought, fighting to retain some sensible perspective on her experience of his actions.

"They can even reach past superficial disguise," he went on, stepping away from the door & walking towards her, instantly raising the tension & enveloping her as he continued talking to her. "There I was, looking at the broken wings & suddenly I FELT your presence in this office."

He couldn't, Mimi fiercely reasoned, not wanting to believe it. Probably a desire to transfer a lingering fantasy into substance.

"My head actually started tingling," he said, closing the distance between then at a slow pace.

Mimi felt her own head starting to tingle with the intensity of feeling he was projecting at her. Had she done that to him while she stood looking at him, recalling how it felt when he kissed her?

"An extraordinary sensation," he continued. "Like a shower of magic setting off waves of intense awareness."

Her stomach flipped, whether in panic fear or some treacherous excitement she had no idea, but she was certainly experiencing intense awareness now as he came closer & closer. It didn't occur to her to move backwards. Her whole concentration was wrapped up in watching him. She even forgot to breath when he pointed at her clothes.

"When I turned around to find a stranger in black, I thought all my instincts were out of it." He stopped barely an arm's length away & his eyes mocked her belief in being unrecognizable. "Then you spoke…and the voice was unmistakable."

Her breath whooshed out on a gust of anger. If that was true, how come he didn't recognize it as Mimi Tachikawa's voice when she sung on Saturday night? Hadn't he even bothered to listen to her all those years that her family mingled with his? Or maybe he had a short…a very short…memory span. Either way, Mimi seethed over his _recognition._

"Angry that your deception didn't turn out the way it should be?"

"I don't believe you. Why remove my hat if you were so sure?"

"To stop you from leaving."

"And my sunglasses?"

"I hate talking to people who hide their thoughts behind dark glasses. In short, I wanted to see your eyes."

"You had no right."

"You walked in here to get at me. You weren't asked to do this job. You chose it because it involves me. I think that gives me the right to ask why…& see the answer in your eyes."

Mimi didn't want to answer him.

"You can't keep away?" he asked softly, seductively.

"Yes, I can," she retorted, resenting his power to attract even against her will. "This was business. Why should I refuse a job because you're in it? You have no power over my life, Matt Ishida."

His eyes flashed a sharp challenge. "Then it won't matter if you give me your name."

"I've given you what I've been paid to give you. You have no right to know more," she argued.

"You weren't paid to respond to my kiss as you did," he shot at her with blazing conviction. "And yes, Katya did ruin the situation, but don't tell me it was only business that brought you here today. You thought it was a safe way to see…to know…if what you felt then could be felt again."

Her heart felt like it was being squeezed. She did want him…had always wanted him…but how could she feel this turbulent desire for a man who broke her heart many years ago? Her gaze flicked to the broken fairy wings.

"I wanted to fix them for you," he murmured.

_At least that one's more easily fixed than a broken heart_, she thought savagely, returning her gaze to his, her inner agitations increasing at the raw flare of need & want she saw. Did HE have a heart to break?

"Why?" she choked out.

"Because they were part of the magic that happened between us. It was perfect, & to have anything belonging to you, or that moment of us coming together, leaving it broken feels wrong.

He certainly hadn't felt that way seven years ago, Mimi told herself, but somehow the reminder was losing its power to armor her against the feelings he stirred. It was different now. He cared now, or was it her own need to believe he did?

He reached out & gently stroked her cheek. "It was real…what we felt was real. It's real not, too. Which proves it wasn't just fantasy."

Her skin heated & tingled under his touch. For the life of her she couldn't move. With feather-light fingertips he seemed to be infiltrating her blood-stream, making her pulse beat faster & faster. His voice was drumming through her brain & heart, setting off echoes she couldn't stop.

"And it wasn't one-sided. You kissed me back. You were WITH me."

_With him…with him…with him…_

The yearning welled up in her like an unstoppable tidal wave. The sexy bimbo with the sports car was sucked away. So was the black-haired witch, Katya. This was HER time with Matt…the man she loved, hated & dreamt about. Why not have it? Why not?

His fingers drifted into her hair. His head bent, his mouth coming closer & closer to hers. Her whole body craved the kiss that was coming, everything within her poised to match it with that one previous, sensational experience. Would it be the same? Would it be more?

His lips touched hers. She closed her eyes, her entire being focused entirely on the soft sensuality of this initial pressure, an intensely erotic caress, lips sliding over hers, exploring, tasting.

Her tentative assault on his mouth triggered a more aggressive possession of her own & Mimi was instantly caught up in a passionate entanglement that was certainly not the fluffy stuff of dreams. The wild explosion of sensation was like a cascade of firework overtaken by more & more fantastic effects.

She loved it, exulted in it. Her arms curled around his neck, wanting to hold him close, hot & hard & male, pressing the unmistakable strength of his desire for her, man & woman surging towards intimacy that demanded urgent fulfillment & everything within her craving it, sizzling with need.

"Matt!"

The call of his name was like a whip-crack, slicing through their private togetherness, yet they were so deeply immersed in each other that neither wanted to stop.

"Matt! Have you completely lost your mind?" came the harsh exasperated demand.

Matt's slowly expelled breath tingled over her lips as he interrupted their kiss to growl, "Get out, Tai."

"Oh, great! I bring Sora Takenouchi along to check you out personally, & the fairy princess is already history."

Sora? Mimi's eyes flew open. Her sluggish brain snapped to red alert. Sora could mess up everything!

"Mimi!"

Shock of horror from Sora, her mouth was gaping as she released the fatal name that could link to a memory Mimi couldn't bear to have raised in Matt Ishida's mind. Mimi Tachikawa…the pink quid girl…it would ruin what they shared now. Totally ruin it. Panic welled up in Mimi as she stared at her friend who was standing beside Tai Kamiya. How could she stop any further revelation?

"It IS her!" Tai agreed in surprise, taking in the long maple-brown hair wearing a very dark outfit. "What with the clothes?"

"_The Sweetest Revenge_ came in from the with who broke my wings," Mimi gave Sora a meaningful look, hoping to shut her up. "I had to come…"

"Business." Sora caught on, collecting herself enough to glare disapprovingly at Matt. "And HE assaulted you again."

"It looked mutual to me," Tai declared, giving Sora a disapproving look. "Trying to make more damages, eh? She was certainly not fighting, not the slightest sing of struggle. In fact…"

"Do you mind?" Matt cut in. "This is my private office."

"Which happens to be for work, Matt," Tai pointed out. "Remember work? That's what we're here for, aren't we?"

"And I see the delivery has been made," Sora said, expressing equal disapproval of the current use of Matt's office. "Come on, Mimi. You're leaving with me."

"Mimi…" Matt's soft whisper of her name squeezed her heart. She couldn't let him remember her.

"It's Sora's nickname for me," she blurted out.

Matt focused entirely on Mimi, his vivid blue eyes eloquently pleading the cause of a here-and-now involvement in which he wanted to stretch beyond this moment. To her intense relief, there was no flash of memory clouding that desire, nothing but the need to know, to reach out & hold on.

"So what is your real name?" he asked.

Her mind turned, looking for an answer. Her grandmother's name was Maruko, that should be easy to remember.

"Maruko," she replied, but what about her last name? Tachikawa was a dead giveaway. "Iratoshi," she added, using her mother's maiden surname. "Maruko Iratoshi."

He smiled both encouragement & satisfaction in her telling it to him. "So now we're properly introduced." And his voice was like warm velvet, caressing her.

"Right!" Tai snapped. "Not that that's settled…"

"Shut up, Tai. I have more to settle." Matt's expression changed to one of powerful intent as he looked at his partner & Sora beside him. "If you'd be so kind as to leave us alone for a few minutes…"

"Fine!" Tai agreed on a huff.

"I'll wait outside," Sora instructed, giving Mimi a look that asked if she had a hole in her head.

And Mimi briefly wondered if she did as they left, closing the door behind them. Then Matt was turning back to her, lifting the arm he freed, tenderly stroking her cheek & her hair, his eyes telling her how very gorgeous he found the woman she was now.

"Meet me after work. We'll have dinner together. Is that possible?"

"Where?"

"Where do you live?"

That was tricky with Sora all too ready to ran off. If she was to keep her identity a secret, best to keep Matt away from their apartment downtown.

"I'll meet you in the city," she said, showing a reservation about accepting too much too fast.

He didn't argue. "Whatever you wish. Do you know the restaurant, Kimono, near the bay?"

"I'll find it."

"Seven o'clock?"

"Yes."

"You wont disappear on me again?"

"I'll meet you for dinner."

_No promises beyond that_, Mimi told herself. She may be mad, but she could allow this much time with Matt, just to see if…

"I'll look forward to it," he said, a happy grin spreading across his handsome face as he released her & withdrew her sunglasses from his shirt pocket. "No more disguises?"

Mimi flushed, the deception she was determinedly playing was very high on her awareness scale. "It was my job," she excused.

"I'd like to hear more about that tonight." He gave her the glasses then stepped away to scoop up her hat from the floor. "Sorry about this but I had to take it off," he said smiling a rueful apology as he handed it back to her. "Your hair is too beautiful to hide."

She was hiding much more than her hair, Mimi thought, as she put the hat on. This was a game…a dangerous game…of hide-and-seek. If and when she was caught…would she know how to handle it by then?

"Thank you," she said. "I must go now. Sora's waiting."

"Is she your boss?"

"More like a business partner," Mimi answered evasively.

He didn't pursue the point. "Until tonight then," he said, ushering her out the door.

Just before Mimi made her exit, her gaze flicked to the broken fairy wings, propped against the file cabinet.

_Were they both living a fantasy?_

She paused in the open doorway to take on last look at him & was instantly swamped by the sexual awareness he generated. His eyes blazed with wanting that had nothing to do with fantasy, and her whole body sizzled with a response that was very very real.

"Tonight," he repeated.

She nodded & left, unable to think, just feeling…feeling what Yamato Ishida did to her…not wanting to let it go.

* * *

AN: Phew! Thank god that was done! It took a very long time for me to finish this one. Anyways, Matt & Mimi's first date? What do you think will happen? Will she ditch him? Find out soon!

And don't forget to give your reviews!


	6. Satisfaction

Hi guys! Sorry for not updating sooner. I know I've been gone forever and I owe you a lot of chapters…hehe! No fear coz I'm back and it's good to be back! That long break I had did me good. Seriously, my mind's not working that's why I keep on having writer's block & all these college stuff makes it worse. But I'm ok now so don't worry. All right, I won't waste your time reading this nonsense A/N.

To all those who kept on reading my stories, even the ones that are completed, thank you! To those who gave reviews in 'Revenge' thank you also.

**Chapter Six: Satisfaction**

"Maruko Iratoshi? Come on, Mimi. This is going a bit far isn't it?"

The critical moment stung, yet Mimi hastily reasoned Sora couldn't understand how this new thing between her and Matt would be spoiled if the truth of her identity was known. She just wanted to let it ruin for a while without those shadows from the past.

Times changed, places changed, people changed…or at least their views did. Matt definitely saw her differently, very positively _wanting_ her in his life.

"A false name," Sora added. "How long do you think you can fool him with it?"

"Long enough," Mimi muttered.

"Enough for what?"

"Never mind."

"If this is an extension of the revenge idea, you're playing with real fire, Mimi, and you may get badly burned," Sora warned. "Saturday night's act was harmless, but if you're planning on a closer encounter…"

"It's not revenge."

This statement of fact hung in silence between them as Sora drove back to their apartment.

Wanting to prove Matt isn't as shallow as Sora thought he is, Mimi said, "He bought the fabric to fix my fairy wings."

It was answered with blistering skepticism. "The guy will do anything to get to you. I'll bet you right now nothing more will be done about fixing those wings because he's already won what he wanted."

There was no reply to that argument. Only time will tell the truth.

"What's the next step?" Sora went on. "Lunch, Dinner, Bed & Breakfast?"

Mimi grimaced over the derision, but at this point she no longer cared what Sora thought. "Dinner this evening," she answered. "I'll be meeting him in the city so I'll be needing the cat if that's okay with you."

"Dinner," Sora muttered, shooting a dark look of warning as she added, "Well don't kid yourself that jerk hasn't got bed & breakfast on the agenda."

Mimi's chin lifted, defying the blush on her cheeks. "So what if he has? I might want that too. You told me that I should get him out of my system."

"Not this way, Mimi. You're lying to him. Deceiving him as to who you really are."

"A name doesn't mean anything. It's the person who counts."

"If it doesn't MEAN anything, why hide it?"

Mimi retreated into silence, hating the argument, not wanting to listen to her friend. It was HER business not Sora's. She was the one whose childhood & teenage years were emotionally entangled with Yamato Ishida.

"Do you expect me to back you up?"

"No, I don't. Thanks for not blowing my cover back there in Matt's office. From now on I'll do my best to keep you out of it. It's my game."

"A bit difficult when Tai asked me out."

"What?" Mimi gaped at her in surprise.

Sora shrugged. "I like him. He's fun. He even invited me to a party this Saturday night."

Mimi leaned back into her seat, closed her eyes & rubbed he forehead, needing to still the whirl of complications that this connection set off in her mind.

Taichi Kamiya had been a friend of Matt for as long as she can remember, and they shared the same business. They were bound to talk together as much as she & Sora did. It's impossible to ask Sora to drop him if she really liked the guy. That wasn't fair.

"We'll have to keep these involvements separate," she argued. "You with Tai & me with Matt."

"Or you could be honest with him & tell the truth…"

"No, not yet."

"I don't want to lie to Tai about you, Mimi."

"Then don't. Just do what you have to do & I'll do what I have to do, okay?"

Sora didn't reply. She didn't say anything more on the subject & neither did Mimi. But they were both very aware of the serious difference of opinion they have…an unwanted wedge in their long & close friendship.

_Is Yamato Ishida worth it?_

Mimi decided she would have to find that out, beyond any shadow of doubt before Saturday night.

* * *

Having explained the circumstances of the events that happened that day to Tai, Matt felt no compunction to explain anything else. Maruko Iratoshi was now his business… and Tai had no rights over it.

"Thank you for being persuasive with Sora Takenouchi on my behalf," he said, winding up the inquisition. "I hope it wasn't too much of a chore. As it is, Maruko & I can take it from here so you can drop it, Tai, okay? Back to work now."

"No, its not okay," Tai sharply retorted.

"You did tell me when you broke into my office that we were supposed to be working," Matt pointed out.

"Sora was right. You're charging like a bull, Matt. I bet you've got Maruko lined up to race her off to bed tonight."

Not _race_. He wanted to savor & revel in every bit of anticipation, then bring out every bit of pleasure he knew was coming with his fairy princess. It's impossible to explain what he felt about her to Tai.

"I'm not working tonight so it's none of your business," he said dismissively.

"Not my business?" Tai rose from his chair with the raising of his voice. "So I'm supposed to ignore it while you get into another mess with a woman. Remember Katya? You raced her off to bed when you first met her, then spent the next four months finding out what a bitch she was. You're taking this too fast, Matt."

This was different. No way was Maruko Iratoshi in the same level as Katya 'the bitch', and he didn't like Tai linking them either. Irritated by his friend's criticism, he shot him a deadly glare. "Look who's talking?"

"Sure, I've done it too," Tai answered back. "Taking what's there whenever I felt the urge. But great sex fades out when you've got nothing in common & you're pulling against each other's interests. Like with you & Katya, right?

Matt leaned back in his chair and visually quizzed the reformed character Tai was supposedly demonstrating. "And since when have you been so smart about this?" he asked. "I didn't notice this side of you at the party last Saturday…"

"There was no one important there," Tai cut in emphatically. "You said this Maruko Iratoshi is important to you."

"So?"

"So treat her right. Get to know her better."

"I intend to."

"It didn't look that way to me when Sora & I came in," Tai reminded him, sounding like a preacher pushing some righteous path.

Matt frowned at him, wishing he'd mind his own business. "I appreciate your concern. Now can we drop it?"

But Tai didn't hear any of it. He continued, "She & Sora are long time friends & business partners."

"I know that."

"Sora is very protective of her when it comes to pushy guys."

"I know that, too."

"I like Sora Takenouchi. She's in tune with me. We might become a big item."

Understanding dawned down at him. His best friend & partner liked the feisty redhead. "Each to his own, Tai."

The usual agreement between them was not forthcoming. Tai did not relax. If anything, the tension emanating from him increased, his hands clenching & unclenching as though he wanted to throw a punch.

Amused & rather unsettled by the aggressive flow from his friend, Matt waited to be enlightened further.

"We've got wires crossed here, Matt. I'm counting on you to not give them a negative charge."

"Right at this moment I don't see any problem," Matt assured him confidently. All the signals with Maruko are very positive.

"Well, think about this." Tai wagged one long finger. "Sora wouldn't be so protective of Maruko without a damned good reason. I figure there's some bad history that might need soothing over. Better find out what that reason is before you charge, Matt. Or we may find ourselves in a big mess."

He made his exit on that sobering challenge, closing the door with a bang. It gave Matt considerable time to think. _Tai must really like the redhead._ And he was right. There were crossed wires here.

A string sexual interest could break up friendships. He'd seen it happen many times, women coming between men, men coming between women. It could mess up family relationships too.

Nevertheless, he couldn't see why it should happen here. Sora Takenouchi had certainly been protective of Maruko, & it was obvious there was a bad history he didn't know about.

Maruko…did she have problems with men? It was her who initiated the kiss at his birthday party. And today, she had known what he was about to do. Remembering the touch of her tongue to his…nothing unwilling about her desire to taste him, to explore the wild exhilaration of arousing more & more excitement… Matt felt himself stirring, needing what she could give him.

There was no doubt in his mind. She wanted to satisfy herself, as much as he wanted to satisfy himself.

Mutual wanting. Where could it go wrong?

* * *

AN: Ok, that wraps it up. For those of you who might've forgotten, **Maruko Iratoshi** is Mimi Tachikawa. I hope you liked it. As always, don't forget to review!

(P.S. I'd like to dedicate this chapter to my good friend Kynna. Get well soon!)


	7. The Date

Ok, here's another chapter for you. A friend of mine gave me inspiration to write another one, so here it is! Anyways, I've been thinking about making a Fantasy fic story, but I'm not sure if you'd like it. I'm still thinking about it & I'm not gonna start till this story's done. What do you think? Oh yeah, some of you aresuggesting that I should write sequels to my previous stories. Well, I'm not sure if I can do that coz I'm not the type who write sequels. I just like it the way it is,BUT I'm going to think about it. I'm not promising you anything though.

For all those who gavetheir reviews, thank you!

**Chapter Seven: The Date**

"Your table, sir."

"Thank you."

"Do you have company, sir?"

"Yes."

"A drink while you wait, sir?"

"A glass of iced water will be fine."

"I'll be right back with it."

The waiter was as good as his promise, bringing a long glass of iced water before leaving him alone to wait for Maruko. Normally he would have ordered a beer to relax his nerves, smoothing away the tension of the day, but he didn't have work on his mind & the tension he felt was exciting.

Tonight of all nights, Matt didn't want his senses blurred buy alcohol. He would order wine when Maruko came. A glass or two spaced over dinner wouldn't dull his mind from concentrating on everything about her. As he settled back in his chair & looked around him, he realized he had never felt so _alive_, waiting for a woman.

A glance at his watch showed it was still five minutes short of seven o'clock. Reserving for an out-of-doors table, under the huge marble colonnade that led to the theater, Matt was in the ideal position to wait for Maruko, and he found himself enjoying the passing parade of people and the coming & going of harbor ferries.

It had been a warm day for mid-November & the warmth still lingered. With daylight saving in force, tourists were still walking around, happily taking pictures. Men & women with fancy formal suits going in the theater for their choice of entertainment; a concert, a play, a ballet performance. Matt's interest wasn't captivated by any of the stylish women. None of them held a candle to the one he was waiting for.

His wandering eyes picked her out from the crowd of people when she was still fifty meters away, walking past the newspaper & magazine stand. His heart skipped a beat at the sight if her. She stood out from everyone.

Her glorious hair was loose, its gleaming mass rippling down over her shoulders. The dress she wore was like the shallow side of the ocean…turquoise or lighter shade of blue…a clingy, silky creation that flowed lovingly over & around her curvy figure that ended in a fluid flare just above her knees. A creamy wrap hung around her arms. A small bag dangled from one hand & at the end of her long slightly tanned legs flashed an ankle-strapped high heel with the same color as her dress.

She was beautiful…utterly heart-stopping beautiful. She was also so vibrantly _feminine_, every sexual instinct in Matt started sizzling, demanding primal satisfaction. He rose from his chair & barely stopped himself from striding out to sweep her into his arms.

Charging like a bull… 

Tai's warning punched through the body grip of desire. Matt forced himself to relax. Take the time to get to know her, he told himself. It was important…yet everything within him screamed it didn't matter. Only his feelings mattered.

* * *

The abrupt movement of a man standing up from one of the tables outside the restaurant instantly caught Mimi's eye. Her heart flipped. It was Matt. Matt waiting for her, watching her come to him. 

_Keep walking,_ she fiercely told herself, determined not to let her feet falter, thereby revealing some uncertainty about a meeting which should seem perfectly welcome to a woman who was attracted to a man. She should look eager, pleased to find him waiting for her.

Mimi had the eerie sensation of a tunnel opening up between them, with Yamato Ishida at the other end of it, a powerful magnet tugging on the woman she was now, tugging inexorably on the most primitive depths of her sexuality. Arousing needs that confused any sense of romance she's ever had.

The bustle of people around her faded from her consciousness. It was as though only she & Matt were real. Nothing else mattered. She wasn't even aware of her legs moving anymore, only getting closer & closer to him, her whole body sizzling in anticipation of making contact.

He had changed out of his business suit. He wore a dark green shirt with black pants & somehow wearing casual clothes amplified his male physique. She dragged her gaze back to his face, the handsome face that haunted many dreams. He smiled at her and it was like a burst of sunshine chasing away the miseries of the past.

_I'm Maruko_, she thought & smiled back at him…Maruko Iratoshi, letting the past of broken young heart melt away under the brilliance of being smiled upon.

He stepped around the table and pulled out a chair, a gentlemanly courtesy that was all too frequently overlooked these days in the dubious name of equality. "You look wonderful," he said, his voice a little husky sending a sensual shiver down her spine.

"Thank you," she replied, her mind to fuzzy with pleasure to produce any other words.

He gestured to the chair & she sat, helping him adjust its position for comfortable access to the table. He hadn't offered his hand in greeting…no body contact at all…yet his closeness behind her emanated warmth that seemed to stroke her skin and he lingered there for a moment after she was settled.

Was she imagining it or was he touching her hair? Perhaps the light breeze off the harbor was ruffling it. Yet her pulse quickened at the thought of him feeling it, liking it, wanting to touch.

She was about to look up when he moved, steeping around the table, back to his own chair. His smile seemed to simmer with sensual satisfaction as he sat down & Mimi was instantly certain he has run his fingers through her hair.

"It's a lovely evening," she said, trying to ignore the wild beating of her heart.

"Perfect," he answered, his vivid blue eyes focused directly on her, making the comment intensely personal.

"Is this your favorite restaurant?"

"It's good & it's handy. I live close by."

"Oh?" Her stomach fluttered. _Was Sora right about bed & breakfast being on the agenda?_ For all her bravado about possibly wanting that too…did she really? This fast?

He gave her a quizzical look. "Does that disturb you?"

She shrugged. "Why should it? You have to live somewhere. Though it must be expensive to rent anything in this part of the city."

"I don't rent. I bought one of the apartments built above the colonnade."

"Really?" It was impossible to hide her shock. She remembered his family being rich…a huge two-story house, expensive cars, living well & getting everything…but she never thought of them as the millionare class. To own an apartment in the city overlooking the harbor…had Matt achieved so much in his business with Tai Kamiya?

He frowned. "It _does_ bother you."

"It's just…you're talking very serious money here. I didn't realize…" Stupid girl, the party at the hotel should've told her. Plus the renovated warehouse downtown. Did he own that, too?

"Realize what?"

"How…how rich you are," she blurted out.

He smirked. "Is that a black mark against me?"

It sounded foolish. How could wealth, attained by hard work & talent, be a black mark against anyone? Yet it put him on a level far above her own situation where she & Sora were struggling to make ends meet. All this time she'd been thinking of Matt as the Matt she had known, wanting him to love her, while he…what does he think of her?

"What's the problem, Maruko?" he asked quietly.

Maruko… 

She had changed from the person she once was.

_He_ had changed, too.

This was indeed a new ball game, and it had to be accepted as the current day reality. Pursuing a dream…an old dream…suddenly seemed very foolish. Yet looking at Matt, she felt the same drawing power he'd always had on her…maybe more.

She took a deep breath & spelled out one undeniable truth. "I'm not in your league. I'm a just a singer & performer, but it's never been what I'd call a steady work & I've never cracked the big time. I love singing & I make a living out of it."

"Nothing wrong with that," he said. "Not many people can make a living out of doing what they really enjoy doing. It's great that you've been able to do what you love doing most in such a tough & competitive field." He leaned forward earnestly, his eyes warmly approving. "I admire you for going after it, taking it on."

Are these sincere words or smooth & persuasive words? 

"I share the rent for a very ordinary two-bedroom apartment at Yokoma. Not even high class," she stated, needing to clear up this issue of status.

He smiled ironically. "I remember after moving out in my dorm back in college, I rented a room in a dump place at Gill Road. It was all I could afford. I do understand living within one's means, Maruko. And I respect it."

"But it's different for you now, and you're obviously accustomed to its being different," she argued.

"Yes, and I won't say I'm not glad to be in a position where I can buy anything I want."

Did he think he could buy her? Did his money attract Katya Wells? 

"_Things_, Maruko," he went on, a more urgent intensity in his voice. "Like having dinner whenever I want to. Driving an expensive car. Traveling around the world. Living in luxury. And all of that is good. I like it, but money isn't everything.

His eyes burned into hers as he asked, "Is money everything to you?"

She blushed. "I'm not a gold-digger."

"And I'm not looking for a cheap thrill from you."

"What _do_ you want with me?" The challenged sliced off her tongue; laced with cynicism Sora had fed her.

"To know you."

"There are lots of ways to know someone," she flashed back, her eyes nailing what she meant. "In what sense are you talking about?"

"Every sense."

She stared at him; desperate to believe he spoke the truth. He held her gaze unflinchingly. The tightness in her chest slowly eased. Sora had to be wrong. Matt looked genuine in his desire to know her more than a one-night stand would give him.

"Did some rich guy hurt you, Maruko?" he asked quietly.

She flushed under his directness. "Why would you think that?"

"Firstly, you are very beautiful. Having you would be an ego boost to many men, & rich guys generally see beauty in a woman as a reflection of their success in life."

"Do you?"

He shook his head. "I want more in a woman than physical beauty. I guess you could say I've been taken in by that a couple of times," he added wryly. "We all make mistakes. I was just wondering if the idea of me being rich has upset you."

Her hands fluttered an agitated appeal. "I hadn't thought about you in those terms. It just came as a shock. I felt…stupid."

He reached across the table & took one of her hands, pressing it into a stillness that was meant to soothe fears, yet the feel of his flesh encasing hers sent a wave of exhilarating warmth through her body & set off deep tremors for more intimate touching.

"Give us a chance, Maruko. You & me. Is that asking too much?"

"No," she whispered, barely able to catch her breath. He was gently stroking her palm with his thumb, sparking off electric tingles. The effect was mesmerizing.

His whole expression emanated a fervent need to convince as he said, "I feel…"

A waited interrupted, offering them menus. The moment was lost & Mimi could barely keep her frustration, sensing Matt was about to reveal something important to her. As it was, he withdrew his hand & turned his attention to the waiter.

She was too distracted to hear them properly & when Matt asked, "Do you want anything?" she had to ask the waiter to go through the good ones.

Even the food combinations were confusing & unfamiliar. Fashionable restaurants were too expensive & she never had the time to take an interest in fancy cooking. Rather than reveal her ignorance, she looked at Matt for help.

"What do you recommend?"

"Do you like seafood?"

"Love it."

"The fried calamari in oregano, shrimp with lemon, & the grilled salmon with lemon grass butter are both excellent here." He named them all, obviously not having problems in remembering the ingredients.

"Is that what you're having?" she checked.

"Yes."

"Then I'll have it, too." She just hoped the herbs & lemon grass stuff didn't turn her stomach.

"Wine, sir?" the waiter asked.

"Yes, The Brown Brothers Chardonnay would be nice," Matt answered without even glancing at the wine list. He smiled at Mimi. "If that's all right with you."

"Fine," she quickly replied, though the name was a complete mystery to her. She & Sora bought wine in a stall from the supermarket. "I won't be drinking much," she warned. "I'm driving."

"I understand," he replied, not even voicing the slightest protest or showing frustration.

Which relieved Mimi's worries about the bed & breakfast agenda. If seduction had been on Matt's mind, he would surely have said something like, "A glass or two won't hurt."

The waiter collected the menus they hadn't even glanced at & departed, leaving them to themselves again. Mimi wished she could ask Matt what it was _he felt_, but decided it was up to him to continue the conversation. It might appear too forward, too anxious, to do it herself.

"Would you like some iced water?" he asked, picking up the jug on the table.

"Yes, please."

He filled a glass for her, adding to the impression he would respect her wished about the wine drinking & not try to push her into doing anything she didn't really want. It made Mimi feel more comfortable with the situation, certainly less tense about his motives for pursuing a relationship with her.

They sat back, studying each other, assessing where they were now. Matt looked satisfied, content for them to simply be together like this.

_Give us a chance. You & me._

It was silly to let doubts & fears get in the way.

_You & me_…magic words.

Even this much was a wish come true. She had to try for more, wherever it led.

Occupied with her inner thoughts, she didn't notice his expression change until he spoke. His words instantly shattered any peace of mind Mimi had.

"You remind me of someone I once knew."

It was only a couple of words, but she caught the tension in his stillness, the concentration in his eyes, and an iron fist squeezed her heart.

Uh-oh…

* * *

AN: Uh-oh! What's gonna happen now? Will he find out the truth before their date ends? What will Mimi do? Will Matt use this to his advantage & play along with her? Find out soon!

As always, please review!

(P.S. Kynna, thank you for giving me inspiration. I'm glad you're feeling better. h&k!)


	8. A Memory

Thank you for the reviews guys. I'm really sorry to say this, but I don't think I'll be able to update again till September. Don't worry, this is only temporary.

**diamonte** - I'm flattered you love my stories. **Kikyotheevilmaiden** - like I said before, I'm not the sequel type, but I'll think about it. Thanks for the review! **JaeJae** - I think you're an amazing reviewer. I do have my own style in writing...though all my stories came from books I've read, so I really don't own all of them...even the characters (well, except for the ones I made up.) lol **Reh** - I'm not sure if I'll be able to update on your birthday, but please accept this chapter as my gift to you. Advance Happy Birthday! How old r u now? **josiewitchgirl** - I was inspired to write. Thanks for the review.

**Chapter Eight: A Memory**

Matt saw the shock hit her…the tightening of her face, the flare of angst in her eyes, the swift struggle for control…and any possible doubt was wiped from his mind.

Maruko Iratoshi was Mimi Tachikawa.

He should have put it together...the deep sense of knowing her, the physical instincts she triggered, the intensity of feeling she projected, the passion...

The passage of so many years pushed his memory of her into the far background & the physical changes brought by those same years dazzled his vision. But he was seeing straight not & he knew he was about to walk to a tightrope where the wrong step might well mean death to any hope of the relationship he wanted with her.

He had to know what she was thinking or feeling, whether he had a real chance with her. He remembered Tai talking about bad history, & he'd been spot-on. HE was the one who inflected the pain that needed soothing.

He noticed her lashed swept down, covering her eyes as she leaned forward & picked up her glass of water, playing for time, struggling for composure. Her hand shook as she lifted the glass to her lips.

He didn't need to be told why she played the fairy princess for his birthday. The burning desire to interest & excite, to make him wish for what he rejected several years back, to tantalize him with a promise, & then simply walk away. Was tonight about teasing him more before she slapped him in the face with it? When she put that glass down, would she be Mimi Tachikawa or Maruko Iratoshi?

* * *

Mimi sipped the iced water, using the glass to hide her face & it's contents to cool the fever of uncertainties that gripped her. Was he beginning to recognize her?

Everything within her recoiled from confronting the past…no, she couldn't bear it. She had to have this chance with him, free & clear of spoiling memories. No, he couldn't know for certain who she really was.

Feeling slightly more composed; she lowered the glass & attempted to smile. "I'm not sure any woman likes to be told that."

He was silent for a moment. Her nerves jangled, fear whispering he'd been waiting for some admission. Then to her intense relief he laughed & shook his head.

"Sorry, I wasn't comparing you. You shine alone, Maruko. Believe me, I feel incredibly lucky that our paths have crossed."

Her smile relaxed into pleasure at his compliment. "Then how do I remind you of someone?" she teased, confident now that he didn't recognize her true identity.

"It's the eyes," he said, nodding in confirmation as he looked directly at them. "I've never seen eyes like yours with so much depth. The color isn't just plain brown, more like caramel. It's beautiful."

_Hers? Had he ever noticed them back then?_ "So who shares them with me?"

He shrugged dismissively. "It was a long time ago. Where I grew up, there were lots of kids in the neighborhood & we hung around together. One of the girls had eyes like yours."

_That girl was me!_ She almost screamed at him. It was hard to contain the sudden violent surge of emotions the pain of being referred to as '_just a girl in the neighborhood'_ took every bit of common sense in her brain.

A wise person would probably drop the subject & move on. Besides, Maruko Iratoshi was not 'one of the girls.' She shines alone in Yamato Ishida's eyes.

But an old, angry side of her insisted on getting out. It just proves what Matt had thought of her in those days. Painful it might be, but she couldn't let go.

"You must have a very clear memory of this girl. Was she special in some way?"

He smiled reminiscently. "Yes, she was. She always hung around us & joined in whatever we did, regardless of how tough the challenge was. I don't think I've seen her cry before. It might seem she's tough on the outside, but on the inside she's vulnerable."

Her chest tightened. She never knew Matt saw her that way. "Did you find her annoying?"

"No." His expression became more serious. "It's strange looking back. She was fearless, yet there was a terrible innocence in her fearlessness. She made me want to protect her."

"I can't imagine the character you've drawn would want protecting."

His eyes flicked appreciation of her understanding. "You're right. She had a fierce pride. But I was older so a certain weight of responsibility fell on me."

"Why on you?"

"I guess because…she looked up to me. Right or wrong, I felt like I was influencing her." He paused before quietly adding, "In the end I had to stop it."

Mimi's mind staggered at this totally unexpected admission, a weighing of the situation she had never ever suspected. "Why?"

"It became too personal."

The provocative reply made her want to know more. "How did it become too personal?"

He made a rueful grimace. "She didn't even see that my younger brother had a huge crush on her."

Mimi's mind turned. Takeru? TK who never discussed anything but schoolwork with her? She always tried to be nice to him, mostly because he was Matt's brother, but she never thought of him as anything but Matt's little brother.

"Are you saying she only saw you?"

"Something like that. It made TK upset. But I didn't make any moves on her. For me, she was still pretty young & immature. It certainly wouldn't be fair for TK since they're both the same age."

"So how did you put a stop to it?"

he sighed. "I pretended I was attracted to someone else."

"Were you?"

"Enough to make them believe. It got TK off my back."

"And the girl? It got _her_ off your back too?" The question tumbled out on a rush of bitterness. She could only hope he didn't notice the change in her tone.

For a moment there was a pained expression in his eyes. "Yeah, but she didn't hook-up with my brother. She simply dropped out of our lives & moved on. A year or so later, her family moved away to America, at least that's what I've heard."

"But you still remember her very clearly," Mimi commented, hiding the terrible twist of irony in her heart.

"She was part of a big chunk in my life." His eyes warmly invited her memories as he said; "You must have had people in your growing-up years that colored your life, one way or another."

_HE colored it black._ Totally black in that act of rejection, but only now did she realize there had been grays. He cared about his brother's feelings…TK, who meant nothing to her.

"Where does your family live, Maruko?" Matt asked.

She shook herself out of the dark memory brought on by these revelations. Later she would think about them, put them in perspective. She had Matt here with her & she didn't want to lose what might become between them this time.

"New York City. In America," she answered truthfully. Besides, he didn't know exactly where Mimi lived.

"You're a long way from home."

"This IS home."

He smiled in understanding. "Of course."

"What about your family?" Mimi needed a change of topic.

"My parents still live at out old house. TK lives with his family just outside the city."

"TK has a family?" Mimi asked with astonishment.

"Yes. He married Kari right after college & since then they've been inseparable. They've got two kids already."

It was good to hear TK was already settled. At least now there wouldn't be hindrances with this relationship.

Three waiters descended on them; one with the bottle of wine, another offering a selection on bread rolls, & the third setting down the first course. Mimi was grateful for the interruption, which took Matt's focus away from her. She hadn't realized how difficult it would be pretending to be someone else.

By the time all the business of serving was done, she had almost convinced herself Matt could not be blamed for what he did before, although it was impossible to end feelings.

"Something wrong?"

Matt's voice jolted her gaze back to his. "No, why?" She spilled out, hoping he didn't sense the disturbance in her thoughts.

"You're looking doubtful at the calamari. Do you want to order something else?"

"No, it's just that I've never seen it presented like this," she gave a fake smile. "It's so artistic it's almost a shame to eat it."

He picked up his fork to encourage her. "Bon appetite."

She followed suit & began to eat, concentrating on the taste of the food.

* * *

Matt's mind was in hyper-drive, trying to figure out what was going on in Mimi's head…and heart. She was still sticking to Maruko Iratoshi. He had no idea if the answers he'd given her to her questions about the past had satisfied her quest to know how he remembered her & what had driven his actions. He could only hope she now understood his true intentions.

Which led him to ponder protection. She thought herself protected today when she went to his office. And Maruko Iratoshi was now protecting the girl he once knew. But was it protection…or deception?

He instinctively recoiled from this scenario. Many years had gone by. He could understand her being wary of him, scared of letting herself be attracted to him, but to deliberately set him up for revenge at this point…no, he didn't want to believe that.

The Mimi Tachikawa he remembered had been straight & true in everything she'd done. People's characters didn't change. Pride might make her cover up the past, but he was sure there had been nothing false in her response to his kisses. No pretence. No lies.

Mutual desire. _Or was he fooling himself?_

She put down he knife & fork & smiled warmly at him. "That was delicious. Thank you."

An electric charge hit his groin. "I'm glad you enjoyed it," he returned just as warmly, any concern about her motives completely forgotten.

He _wanted_ her, regardless of what she called herself. A name meant nothing. It's the person who counts. He was not about to let his feelings go. Not about to let her go, either.

* * *

AN: Tell me what you think. Matt knows Mimi's true identity, but Mimi doesn't know that Matt knows it. Get it?

As always, please REVIEW!

(P.S. This chapter is dedicated to REH. HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Wish you all the best in life.)


	9. Two Can Play This Game

I'd like to point out that the ratings in this story had been raised due to more'adult' themes on the upcoming chapter. Yes, there will be some action between Matt & Mimi, & I bet most of you like that, huh? Hahaha...I guess you'll just have to wait a while coz I think that'll be on the next chapter.

**Shikaruto** - thank you for the wonderful review. It's great that you like this story.

**Chapter Nine: Two Can Play This Game**

His smile made Mimi tingle all over. Focused on her now, a woman who's all grown up, it had a far more powerful impact. He found her infinitely desirable & emanating an intense level of sexual intimacy, his eyes reflecting the knowledge of how she felt in his arms, how her mouth moved with his, and the wanting to savor the experience again & again.

She found herself squeezing her thighs together, capturing & enclosing the excitement he stirred. Her nipples were tightening into hard little buds. Never had she reacted so physically to a man before & she marveled at the difference between wanting someone from afar & having the desire returned at close quarters.

What would have happened if he looked at her like this when she was nineteen…if he kissed her…? Mimi shook her head. She had to stop thinking about the past.

"What are you thinking?" Matt asked.

"I'm amazed that here we are…you & me," she answered with more truth than any he could possibly know.

"Fate smile don us, bringing us together."

She laughed. "Do you really believe in Fate?"

He shrugged. "There are times where things fall into place at the right time. Who knows how Fate really works? Is it a coincidence or are there energy forces that somehow guide meetings & outcomes?" He paused, his eyes looking straight at hers. "Perhaps we were always meant to be here at this time & place…you & I."

Goosebumps ran over her skin at the preordained suggestion. "I could have said no to your invitation."

"But you didn't."

He didn't wait for a reply. His eyes still holding hers with compelling intensity, he softly stated, "I have strong sense that I've been waiting for you for a very long time."

It hit a chord that throbbed painfully. He could have found her if he wanted to. Should she tell him now, tell the truth on who she really was? And see his expression change from shock to embarrassment? No, she didn't want that.

"Perhaps we were connected in some previous life," she said with considerable irony.

"And something drove us apart," he added, his eyes glittering in a way that made her feel uneasy, as though he could see into her soul.

"A very romantic fantasy," she remarked dryly, picking up her glass of wine, breaking eye contact with him.

There was a momentary silence, and then he laughed. "I guess I like the idea of people getting a second chance. We don't always make the right decisions the first time around."

"That's true," she agreed. "Though you must have made a lot of right decisions in your business to have it gone so well."

"Tai helped me out in more ways than I could ever have asked."

She set her glass down & leaned forward, eager to know more of his current life. "What does Media Promotions actually do?"

"Every from of advertising. Whatever we win a contract for."

"You mean you design promotional stuff for other companies & businesses."

He nodded. "We do our best to present their products in a sales-winning format."

Mimi was fascinated to hear this. It was obvious Matt liked his work. She listened to the warm enthusiasm in his voice. She felt the inner fire & drive that made him the success he was & knew this was a deep part of his personal magnetism.

He believed in himself. He was a born leader and in her heart of hearts she wished she were attached to him.

Matt drew back in his seat, offering an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry, I've been talking too much about myself."

"No," she quickly denied. "I want to hear."

He quizzically studied the warm sincerity in her eyes. "There's nothing much to know." He shook his head. "I mean, I don't usually talk about my work outside of the office."

"Then I'm honored."

"No, _I_ am. You really did want to know."

"It's a big part of your life."

"Yes, but not a part many people care to understand."

"You mean like…Katya."

"You have no reason to be impressed by Katya," he answered ruefully. "But she could be fun when she's in a good mood."

"Fun," Mimi repeated, thinking about fun & games in bed.

"Relief from the pressures of work," he added.

"I shouldn't have brought up the subject of work then."

"It's different with you," he assured her, his smile making her heart melt again.

_Different…_the word was like toxic, making her feel giddy with pleasure. Whatever Matt shared with Katya…and other women…didn't matter. After all, she tried a few relationships herself, wanting more from them than they'd ever given. Sometimes need drove people into making mistakes. So why blame Matt for this?

This was different. This was their second chance. And everything within Mimi craved to take it, wherever it led.

* * *

Matt ate mechanically, not even tasting the food. The crack about Katya had suddenly left him with the sense of being on trial & he didn't like it, not one bit. He explained why he acted the way he did in the past. Surely any reasonable person would accept the explanation. He'd given her time to digest it, given her another opening to admit who she really was. 

_Why didn't she tell him?_

The memory of his twenty-first birthday night started plaguing him…the cut-off night for a young & innocent Mimi. She sang the birthday song as the cake had been carried in, a solo effort his mother arranged because Mimi had such sweet & lovely voice. It was obvious, from the way she sang it, that she had feelings for him. When she gave him her gift, he could hardly bear to accept it, shoving it quickly aside.

Only later did he discover it was a watch, where on the back was inscribed, _'With all my love.'_ It made him feel rotten, even more so because Samantha Elliot had also given him a watch which he wore that night. It had been a slap on the face to Mimi, and he cursed himself for pushing her away.

NOW was their time.

Had she forgiven him for that brutal rejection?

Did she want him to fall, in revenge for what he did?

He watched her eat the meal he ordered, loading her fork & lifting it to her mouth. Her hands were steady…finely shaped with long elegant fingers…and he yearned to have those hands touch him softly, sensually, lovingly. Even how she slid the fork into her mouth & out again was intensely sexy.

Her long lashes veiled her eyes, keeping her thoughts a taunting mystery. Her glorious hair shimmered, a silky flow of temptation that teased his imagination & conjured up erotic fantasies…how it would feel on his pillow, her naked body brushing over his skin…

She finished the meal, her gaze lifting to his. "You certainly eat well of you come her often. That was delicious, Matt."

Her distinctive caramel brown eyes seemed clear of anything, yet she had to be taking him for a ride. Why else would she hide her identity? How long did she intend to be someone else? How much would she give before turning her back on him?

"There are many fine restaurants here in Odaiba," he remarked, smiling as he pushed his emptied plate away. "I'd like to introduce you to all of them."

She blushed. _From guilt or pleasure?_

"I'd like that too," she said, her eyes telling him he was the main attraction, not the food.

It made him burn with a torment he couldn't bear. A wild recklessness seized him, demanding he push her to the limit right now, testing how much she wanted to be with him. "Would you like some dessert?"

She shook her head. "I've had enough, thank you."

"Then let me show you where I live. I'll make you coffee in my apartment."

Her blush deepened. She stared at him, an agony of indecision in her eyes.

Matt sat still, returning her stare, a relentless challenge beating through him in fierce waves. If her wanting him was real, let her prove it by coming with him. If this was some vengeful game, let her reveal it now, excusing herself from the prospect of being alone together in a private place with the risk of a more dangerous intimacy developing between them.

"All right," she said in a breathy little voice.

Relief & excitement grew in him. In coming with him she was giving up control, gambling more than any game-player would. _Or was she recklessly raising the stakes?_ Whatever it is, the ball was now in his court & he's determined to play it hard.

"Have you had the apartment very long?" she asked.

"Two & a half years."

"Enough time to make it your home."

_She was curious about him, _he realized, _wanting to see._ Wanting to judge? Putting him on further trial?

"It's furnished to my taste, if that's what you mean," he answered, wondering if she'd make it to his bedroom.

"Did you hire an interior decorator?"

"No, I looked around & brought whatever appealed to me."

She nodded. "I guess you wanted to please your own artistic eye."

"Style is not that important to me," he acknowledged. "I like to feel comfortable."

And more than anything, he wanted to feel comfortable with her…nothing hidden between them.

Their waiter came to take away their plates. "Dessert, sir?"

"No, we're done." He pulled out his wallet & handed over a credit card. "The bill, please."

"Be right back, sir."

"More wine?" he offered, noticing her glass was empty.

"No, thank you." Her eyes were nervous, but there was a glint of determination in them. She didn't want to back off yet.

She picked up her glass of iced water & drank from it. _Did her thoughts need cooling down? Or was she feeling a little hot?_ Well, he'll find out soon.

The waiter returned with the bill. Matt quickly signed it, slid the copy & his credit card into his wallet & then stood up, burning to move this game onto his ground. Before he could reach her chair, she was on her feet clutching her little handbag.

Matt picked up her creamy wrap that had fallen onto the back of her chair & draped it around her shoulders. There were goose bumps on her arms.

"Cold," he murmured.

"A little."

"You'll be warm in my apartment," he promised, lifting her hair out a little.

Her head jerked slightly, but she made no protest at the liberty he was taking. She was not going to back off, not at this point. A surge of triumph sizzled through him. He picked up her hand to draw her with him, entwining his fingers through hers to lock her into _his_ game plan.

He heard her suck in a deep breath as she fell in step at his side.

_You're too fast, Matt. Treat her right. Get to know her better._ Tai's warning flashed into his mind. Which was all very fine, Matt thought, if she was treating him right.

Two can play this game. There could be no real knowing of anyone when deliberate deception was in play. He had to know where she was at, where she was coming from, & where she wanted to be. There could be no going forward until that was settled & Matt wanted a future with her.

Mimi Tachikawa…the girl…the woman…lost & found.

Not to be lost again…not without a fight.

* * *

AN: Well, well, well...is Matt seeking revenge too? 

Please, please, please give me your reviews. I'd really appreciate it if you give me your thoughts & opinions about this story. The more reviews, the merrier. So p-l-e-a-s-e don't forget to review.

_>I do not own this story...well, most of it. _


	10. A Passionate Night

Hi guys! Sorry for being gone so long. School started and I'm busy most of the time. I never knew college can be so much work! Anyways, I'd like to thank all of you who have readand reviewed this story.Even though I haven't updated for a long time, I still get reviews on this story. Thank you guys so much for the support! Ok, I'm not gonna keep you any longer. Here's chapter ten!

**WARNING:** This chapter contains adult/sexual scenes. If you do not wish to read this, feel free to skip it.

**Chapter Ten: A Passionate Night**

"It's not far," Matt said encouragingly.

Mimi's heart was jumping. Sora would undoubtedly say she was crazy for accompanying Matt to his apartment…too far, too fast. But he was holding her hand, taking her on his path and she couldn't let go, however far he intended to take her. The need to hold on to him was more compelling than any common sense arguments about how best to handle relationships.

Besides, this was different.

It would be impossible to keep her true identity hidden much longer. Since Matt said Maruko Iratoshi shone as a uniquely special woman to him, it seemed paramount to use every possible minute in his company finding out if he really meant it. Only then would Mimi have the confidence to tell the truth that she and Maruko are the same woman.

Seeing the home he'd chosen would also tell her more about him, although reason had little to do with the journey she was now taking. The hand holding hers was irresistible, it's warm possessive strength belonging to Matt…Matt, wanting her. The wanting felt so good, Mimi would have walked anywhere with him.

"Do you ever cook for yourself?" she asked, trying to sound normal, not so affected by his closeness and the invitation to even more closeness.

"Not much, the occasional breakfast."

_Bed and breakfast…_

She clamped down on the spoiling thought, but lost the will to ask any trivial questions. The nervous excitement of being with Matt consumed her and his silence seemed to transmit the same feeling…the urge to be alone with her.

She had no idea how far they walked, nor was she aware of anything they passed. It was as though she stepped into a dream world where wishes could come true.

He steered her into a huge marble archway into a foyer that featured a grand staircase winding upwards.

"Do we climb that?" she asked, her voice echoing around the high emptiness.

"It only leads to the floor of the offices," he answered briefly, drawing her towards an elevator to the side wall.

The doors slid open the moment he hit the UP button. They stepped inside and Matt took out a security card from his shirt pocket and inserted it into a slot on the control board before pressing the number 10. A tenth-floor apartment, directly overlooking the harbor would indeed be a fairyland for her, Mimi thought.

_Would Matt treat her like a princess…or would she be coming down to earth with a thump?_ Again, she pushed the question aside.

When they emerged from the elevator, he released her hand to unlock and open the door to his apartment. For a moment, the loss of contact with him aroused a tremendous uncertainty of what she was doing. Then Matt opened the door and his eyes met hers, seeming to dare her to step inside.

Her heart turned over. It was like the old days…was she brave enough to keep up with him, do what he did, share the thrills and the spills?

Pride and the long-held desire of his approval made her feet move forward. Lights were switched on and the danger of entering his living room vanished. The immediate impact was warmly inviting and she walked on without worry, eager to see his private world, to match it to the man who now wanted her in his life.

"This is lovely, Matt!" she cried, eyeing the two long sofas which dominated the living room.

There was nothing intimidating here. The sofas were upholstered in forest-green velvet with tiny brown sprig patterns. Cushions in gold, brown and green arranged evenly on the armrests, and beautiful gold lamps stood on the side tables, giving a lovely mellow light.

A large square coffee table provided easy service for anyone seated on either sofa, and floor-to-ceiling curtains beyond it obviously hid a magnificent view. As she tried to imagine it, Matt walked passed her and operated the cord that pulled the curtains apart.

The scenery was breathtaking. "Oh!" she breathed in delight, instantly walking forward to see more. "It must be wonderful to look out and see this every day."

"Yes, there's always something interesting happening on the harbor, ships sailing, yacht racing, liners coming in." He was coming towards her, and his vibrant masculinity hit her like a big splash of water, making her heart beat faster. Suddenly he looked very sexy, his eyes glittering, his body emanating energy.

"I don't think you'll need this now," he said, removing her shawl and dropping it on the nearest sofa. His arm replaced it, curving around her shoulders and turning her as he gestured towards the dining room and the kitchen which had a bar separating the living room and kitchen.

"The open plan allows the view to be enjoyed from everywhere," he pointed out. The fingers stroking her upper arm tensed as he added. "You get a similar outlook from the master bedroom. Come and see."

She glanced up, sensing another underlying dare, a test of courage he would judge her on. His eyes briefly met hers; simmering with a challenge she didn't understand. Before she could even think, he dragged her along with him.

She was acutely conscious of his body heat and the muscular strength she was brushing against with each step they took made her stopped seeing anything. She moved in a blur, the word _bedroom_, pounding through her mind. Wild fears and hopes leapt through her, causing nervous havoc. There was a terrible intimate attraction about going to his bedroom, and somehow stopping what was happening wasn't an option.

Another door was opened; Matt left her near the bed while he moved to the table on the other side and switched on the light. Mimi stood transfixed by the richly sensual temptation in front of her.

"Is it real fur?" she asked, unable to stop herself from reaching out and touching the thick, luxurious softness of Matt's bedcover.

"No, it's fake."

"It feels real."

"It does, doesn't it? It's a high-quality fake." He walked back towards her, an ironic twist to his lips, his eyes glittering with a savage kind of mockery. "It looks right, it feels right. Good enough to fool anyone it's real. But it's fake…like you…"

"What?"

"…being the fairy princess. For children, you would seem very real, thought in reality you're a fake fantasy."

She straightened up, jolted by the comparison, feeling as though her integrity was being attacked.

He walked around the bed, hands out. "So I'm wondering…how real are you, Maruko?"

Did he suspect deception? Mimi struggled to collect herself. "I don't know what you're talking about."

He was close now; close enough for his eyes to burn into hers. "You come to me in different disguises, playing roles."

"Just dress-ups," she defended. "I'm the same person underneath."

He slid his arms under her waist and scooped her into full body contact with him. She didn't understand what was going on here, only that she seemed to be on trial and Matt was determined on not being fooled by her.

"You _feel_ right," he said, his voice going straight to Mimi's heart. His fingers slid into her hair. "Do I feel right to you?"

Her body was quivering inside, whether from fear or excitement she didn't know. She remembered how it felt when he kissed her…

"Kiss me," she whispered; the need to set everything right between them was so urgent, she couldn't think of anything than that.

For a moment his eyes darkened like with troubling emotion. Panic increased Mimi's turmoil. It wasn't the answer he wanted. What was? What does he need from her?

Then his mouth crashed down on hers, hot and wild. It was not a kiss of sweet exploration. It was a passionate kiss, intent on smashing any barrier between them. A sumptuous testing of how far desire went, how _real_ it was.

There was anger in it; frustration. Taking instead of giving, as though this was their one chance to get what they wanted. They were greedy for each other.

Mimi knew she was being reckless, but she didn't care. There was no turning back. Yamato Ishida was not in the lead now. She was holding him to her and reveling in the feel of his hard maleness pressed against her, his mouth exploding into hers again and again.

His hand went through her hair and scooped it off her back, hooking it over her shoulder as he found the head of her zipper and opened her dress. Instantly, Mimi dropped her hands to his shirt, tearing at the buttons.

Clothes hit the floor. Shoes were kicked off. Strong hands almost encircled her waist, lifting her off her feet. She was tossed onto the bed, sinking into its thick softness. Matt stood in front of her, his chest heaving, his eyes glittering over her. "You really want to go this far?" he demanded.

"I'm already this far," she fiercely retorted, stretching provocatively. "It's up to _you_ to join _me_."

He certainly had the superior strength, but she had power too…the power of being the woman he wanted, and his very obvious erection made that undeniable. It was good he had to come to her, had to follow her because he _needed_ to be with _her._

She gloried into the sizzling flare in his eyes as he moved her legs apart with his knee. A flood of vulnerability suddenly attacked her sense of power, but Mimi wouldn't let it win.

_Come and get me_, she silently dared.

He took her mouth, invading it with such erotic passion, her body instinctively arched for the more intimate invasion. His head moved down to her breasts, taking their extended peaks in his mouth, and all she knew were the sweet bursts of pleasure he evoked with the suction of his mouth. Her fingers raked through his hair, intent on seizing control, moving him down to her need.

He moved lower and lower. A hand slid down the soft, moist folds between her legs, fingers stroking, circling, caressing…mesmerizing sensations. Her hands felt weak to even hold him. His touch was so intense; she closed her eyes and concentrated on her inner feelings.

The pleasuring touch was suddenly accompanied by a kiss so shockingly intimate she almost screamed with pleasure. He held her still and the shock melted away under the sweet flood of sensation his mouth brought, delicious waves peaking and spilling through her.

"Stop!" the cry ripped from her throat, driven by a need she couldn't hold back, couldn't control. "Come to me now, Matt! Now!"

He lifted his arm and placed it under her. He surged up and over her, making the entry she craved, the blissful joining, and a deep penetration that filled her with rightness…a stunningly ecstatic rightness.

"Yes…" she breathed on a burst of relief, all her inner muscles squeezing him, hugging the wonderful pleasure of him.

"Open your eyes." A raw need filled his command and Mimi instantly obeyed.

His eyes blazed into hers. "Don't close them. I will not be a fantasy. This is very…" he pulled back, leaving her momentarily devastated by the loss of deep connection. "…very real," he pushed forward so hard, Mimi screamed with pleasure.

Slowly, he repeated the withdrawal, leaving her quivering with anticipation until he came in again. "It feels good?" His eyes glittered, demanding her admission.

"Yes, yes…" she cried. "You must know it does. Why are you asking?"

"Because I want to hear you say it."

"Don't play with me, Matt." She lifted a hand to his face. "Just be with me. Don't you want that?"

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and without another word, moved them both into an all-consuming rhythm, a deep pounding of flesh against flesh that was totally intoxicating.

She loved the feel of him, loved the thought of him loving the feel of her. She didn't know how many times she climaxed around him. It was so wonderful that he didn't stop, that he wanted to go on and on. She used her hands to pleasure him, caressing his beautiful body, adoring it, feeling it, excitement stirred as he moved faster within her.

It was only right that he should come to climax too, and she urged him towards it using her whole body to give him what he had given her. And when he finally came, it was a magical sensation. The hot explosion of him so deeply inside her felt so good. Matt relaxing, hugging her tightly to him, the two of them joining as one.

He rolled onto his side, pulling her close to him. Contentment seeped through her and she wished this lovely feeling could last forever. Or was that a fantasy? The thought brought back the memory of what Matt said earlier. Unconsciously, she spoke, wanting to clear any misconception he had about what she was doing here with him.

"This isn't a fantasy to me, Matt. More like a dream come true."

_What dream?_ He frowned, remembering how she continued to lie on who she really was, inviting him to kiss her, challenging him to take her, pleading for him to finish what he started. It was hard to even focus on it when he felt so good with her. But she still wasn't telling him the truth about herself.

Did she imagine taking him as her lover and showing him what he missed all these years? What's next? Slapping him in the face with who she was and then leave him with an unforgettable taste of what he could have had if he'd acted differently?

The buzz of torment in his mind was abruptly distracted by her mouth closing over his left nipple and she began licking and tugging it. The unexpected burst of erotic tingling made his fingers go through her hair, pulling her head up.

She looked at him, "You did it to me, Matt. Not it's your turn."

Her kisses sent out streams of excitement and her delicate fingers traced erotic paths allover him as she moved down his body. Then her hands were stroking him, lightly squeezing, making him swell with urgency.

He started to move, but she stopped him by putting an arm over his stomach as she took his long and hard maleness into her mouth and started sucking it.

His muscles tensed. He knew he couldn't control himself for long. She was taking him to the edge of control and suddenly he didn't want it that way. He moved forward, pulled her up and set her in front of him, burying himself inside her to feel her heat.

"Ride me," he invited.

She was a golden goddess and she could steal his soul anytime. Her eyes sparkled, she rode him slowly, savoring each long slide, and it was incredibly sexy. He reached for her breasts, feeling them move to her rhythm.

It went beyond sexual gratification. The desire for her didn't stop at climax. Her body was endlessly exciting, her mouth a sweet passion, her sense of sensuality more erotic than anything he'd ever known. She gave the words _making love_ real meaning.

* * *

At six-thirty, the clock-radio beside his bed came on waking him. With a smile already gathering from the events of last night, Matt opened his eyes…and found Mimi gone from his bed, gone from his apartment…and there was nothing to say she would ever be with him again!

* * *

AN: Sorry for the last part, but I just had to put that. I bet most of you are wondering what happened. Was Matt having a dream? Was it real? Where did Mimi go? Is this her revenge to Matt?...(Evil laugh)…Find out in the next chapter.

Oh, and in case some of you forgot, Maruko Iratoshi is Mimi Tachikawa.

_>I do not own this story…well, most of it._


	11. Matt's Plan

Hi guys! I'm back! Sorry for being gone forever, I guess my only excuse would be school and work. But don't worry, since winter break is here, I'll be able to update...and hopefully finish the story. I only have like five or six chapters left! Yay! College is really tough, specially when you're a full-time student and you have work. I still can't believe I survived college life...hehehe! Thank God my finals are over!

I've been getting so many e-mails saying that I should update this story and I kinda felt bad because it's been so long. I do hope you're not that disappointed in me. Anyways, this chapter will be my Christmas present for you guys. I know I owe you a lot for keeping you waiting, so I hope you enjoy this one.

**Chapter Eleven: Matt's Plan**

Matt slid his Porsche into his parking slot behind his office building just as Tai was stepping out of his BMW. Bad timing. He wasn't in the mood for any personal chat with Tai and he was sure what the topic will be. He switched off the engine and thought if he would get out or not. The urge to drive over to Mimi's appartment and confront her face to face had been burning through him ever since he woke up that morning and found her gone. It hurt.

If this was the revenge she intended all along, nothing was going to change her mind, and he would just be asking for more punishment. But then, if she really needed more time...time to think, to decide that she really did want him...time might be his friend. Either way, he hated the feeling that this was Judgement Day.

Tai knocked on the window. Expelling a sigh of deep frustration, Matt opened the door, determined not to answer his friend's curiosity. He had no answers anyway, none that he liked.

"Well, did the beautiful Maruko live up to your expectations?"

Matt glared at him. "Why don't you mind your own business, Tai?"

"I'm an interested party, remember?" Tai replied.

Caught up in his own dilemma, Matt had forgotten about Tai's interest in Sora Takenouchi. He closed the door, locked his car, thinking that Mimi's friend knew about this lie. And just where did that place Sora?

"She wasn't what you wanted after all?" Tai persisted.

"She's everything I want," Matt declared.

Tai glanced sceptically at him as they fell into step, heading to their offices. "So how come you're not bursting in happiness?"

"Because I'm not sure where she's at," he shot back. "Now drop it, Tai."

"You didn't rush her, did you?"

"I said drop it!"

"Yeah, right, just as long as Sora don't get mad at me for whatever you did."

The feisty little redhead was in on Mimi's game. She went along with the whole Maruko Iratioshi cover-up yesterday. Maybe both women were tkaing him and Tai for a ride. Matt held his tongue. No point in telling Tai until he knew exactly what the game was. He grimaced and carried on to his own office, boiling with resentment over being caught in this awkward situation. Why couldn't have Mimi been honest with him? And how in hell could she just walk away from what they had shared last night?

By the time he settled behind his desk, Matt knew he had to make a plan, one way or another. It wasn't just him affected here, Tai was involeved too. He picked up the phone book, found the number he needed, and dialed the numbers to his cell phone with determination. He heard the ringing at the other end and secretly hoped that someone will answer it.

"_Surprises_," Sora Takenouchi's voice announced. "How may we surprise you?"

_Nothing can surprise me more than the whole truth to this lie_, Matt thought. It was one the tip of his tongue to ask for Mimi Tachikawa, tempted to surprise her friend and partner in crime. But he really did want the truth to come from Mimi herself.

"This is Yamato Ishida. May I speak to...Maruko Iratoshi,please?" The false name tasted sour in his tongue.

"Maruko," Sora repeated as though it tasted sour to her, too. "Could you hold, please? I'll just go and get her for you."

"Thank you."

No sweet revenge from Sora. If that was on the agenda, she'd makeMimi to do it herself. It's possible she didn't like this deception any more than he did. If Sora was really attracted to Tai, it would be complicated with Matt being Tai's friend. She might be telling Mimi to tell the truth now. Matt prepared himself to play the conversation carefully. If there was a chance of winning, he didn't want to blow it.

* * *

"Wake up, sleepyhead! Rise and shine!" 

Sora's voice woke Mimi's peaceful slumber. "What's up?" she asked groggily.

"_You_ should be," came the terse reply from her friend who was standing against the doorjamb, eyeing Mimi's bleary confusion without the slightest trace of sympathy. "It's almost ten'oclock and loverboy is on the party line."

"Loverboy?"

"Yamato Ishida. Meems, let's get the personal stuff done and out of the way during business hours, okay?"

"Matt...on the phone..." Her heart started to beat faster.

"Asking for Maruko Iratoshi. So I guess you didn't tell him yet."

Mimi scrambled to her feet, struggling to clear her confused head. Matt may want answeres to why she left without telling him. How could she say that in the end, she didn't trust him to keep wanting her? After all, he didn't know who she was, and leading her to his bedroom on their first date was...well, does he do that to all the women he desired?

Once he'd gone to sleep, the bed-and-breakfast thing started haunting her, leaving her very uncertain about what the night meant to him. She couldn't stay, couldn't handle being faced with...less than what she wanted from him.

"I can't imagine what you guys talked about until three o'clock in the morning," Sora wondered. "It couldn't have been about Mimi Tachikawa. And I doubt any restaurant stays open to that hour either."

"Three?" _Was it that late when she left Matt's place?_

"It was almost four when I heard you come in," Sora stated. "Did he take you to a bar or club?"

"He's waiting on the phone," Mimi reminded her, cutting off her question. "And we agreed that this was my business, Sora."

"Right!" she mocked, stepping back from the door to let Mimi pass. "Go ahead, Mimi. Make a big mess."

Mimi winced knowing her friend won't be helping her clean up this mess. "Thanks for waking me up."

"I wish you would wake up," Sora muttered, turning away to go into her own bedroom. "And don't forget we've got a gig tonight," she said over her shoulder. "So don't make any other plans."

Mimi nodded, not really paying attention. Her mind was thinking of what to say to Matt. This call had to mean he wanted to continue the relationship with Maruko Iratoshi...or have more sex with her. Was is a terrible mistake to go to bed with him? The memory of their wild love making burned through her as she picked up the receiver. "Hi!"

"Hi to you, too." Matt replied. "I missed you this morning."

Her cheeks felt hot. "I thought it best that I go," she said. "I wasn't sure...I mean...I parked the car in the street and...and I couldn't remember how long that was legal for...and I knew Sora would be expecting me home...and..."

"And you didn't want to wake me to say goodbye," he helped her somewhat dryly.

She sighed, relieved he seemed to be accpeting her explanation. It was impossible to go into the emotional conflict he stirred because much of it was related to a history that still made her feel extremely vulnerable where he was concerened.

"I did wonder if last night was as special to you as it was to me," he went on.

"Yes, very special," she said, unable to help herself from admitting she had been a ery willing partner in their intimacy.

"So there's nothing...troubling you?"

There were lots of things troubling her, and it all concernd him. "I'm fine, Matt," she assured him. "I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye, but...it was late...and..."

"Yes, I understand. It just simply occured tome that talking was...limited...after we connected in other ways. If there's anything you want to say...anything at all...I do want to be with you again. Very much."

"I want that, too," she rushed out, but time will tell. She needed more time.

"Then what about tonight?"

She remembered Sora's warning. "I'm booked to work tonight, Matt. But I'm free tomorrow evening if that is okay with you."

"Sure! I'll pick you up from your place at seven."

"Here?" Mimi frowned, imagining Sora in the background laughing at her. "I don't mind meeting you in the city."

"Better not have problems with your car. I'm happy to take you home whenever you want to. All you have to do is _tell me_."

"Oh!" Guilt squeezed her heart. She felt bad for sneaking off last night, leaving him wondering how she felt the next day. "I'm sorry, Matt. I should have written a note or something. Come Wednesday night and I'll be ready at seven." _And be off before Sora finds out._ "You have my address?"

"Yes, from the phonebook. What's your appartment number?"

"Nine."

"Thanks. I'll look forward to seeing you."

"Me too," she said warmly & was smiling as she heard the disconnection and lowered her own receiver.

* * *

Matt was not smiling. He'd just given her another chance to open up but the game was still on and he still did not know if it was a revenge trip or a trial run towards a judgement on him. Now he had to wait two more days for the next move. Just how far did she want him to commit himself before the truth comes out? Was that an act on the phone? Or was she really glad and embarrassed that he called? 

Matt shook his head, he couldn't take this bullshit game. It was dishonest on both sides, with her pretending to be someone else and him hiding the knowledge of it. It had to stop. It would be impossible for him to act normally towards her Wednesday night. He'd be grinding his teeth if she continued it, and she just indicated that she intended to. Nevertheless, confronting her about this deception would be very tricky. It might make her feel like a fool, realizing she's been recognized. She might even hold last night's intimacy against him, regardless of how good it turned out to be. He didn't want that twisted into soemthing bad.

He must find a way to get him out of this mess. What he needed was a plan, an outside intervention that will make her reveal the truth. Once he knew exactly what he was dealing with, he could win her around to have a future together. He couldn't believe she did what she did last night.

So what will his plan be? Tai? He instantly dismissed the idea of sharing his problem to his friend. Sora knew, but she had no reason to help him. He looked over at the shelves where the picture of his brother and his family stood. He remembered that Kari,TK's wife will have a party for the kids. If she booked the _Singing Sunflowers_...yes, Kari would certainly remember Mimi Tachikawa. The secret would have to come out, because Kari will surely tell her husband and brother-in-law.

Matt reached for his phone again. He didn't stop analyzing the plan in his mind. He wanted Mimi Tachikawa, not Maruko Iratoshi. Only Mimi Tachikawa...and he wanted her tomorrow night.

* * *

AN: Well...well...well, Mimi's made a big pile of mess all right.Will Matt's plan work?Tell me what you guys think? I'd love to read your reviews.

_ HAPPY HOLIDAY TO EVERYONE! _


	12. The Sunflower Act

Hi guys!Here's another chapter!Have you got any interesting holiday stories you might want to share? Or some crazy Christmas presents you received over the years? If you do, don't hesitate to include them in your reviews and I'll try to post them in the next chapter so we can share it to others too! It'll be nice towrite something from my readers, right! LOLZ

Thanks for all the people who reviewed chapter 11! I really appreciate it!

**Chapter Twelve: The Sunflower Act**

"I don't see any kids around," Mimi said, looking at the beautifully landscaped frontyard that were totally children-free. "Are you sure you got the rigth address, Sora?"

"I'm perfectly sure. She probably gathered them all inside for the _big surprise_."

Mimi wasn't convinced. The exclussive two-story house in a high-class private compound didn't look like a place for young families. "It doesn't feel right. Besides, the call was made yesterday, such a short notice. Maybe it's some black joke."

"Who cares? The fee was paid in full. We're here, so we must go in," Sora declared, dismissing Mimi's doubts. She checkedher watch. "Ten fifty. Ten minutes to showtime. Let's put on our hats and costumes."

They were already wearing their green bodysuits and yellow petal skirts that very much resembled a sunflower. Mimi reached over the back seat of the car and collected the rest of their costumes.

"There's a woman coming out of the house now," Sora informed her. "Better be quick, Mimi. She's probably the one hosting the party and looks to be the right age to be the mother of toddlers."

Mimi didn't even bother to look at the woman. She was relieved that the they were at the right place. Sora was out of the car first, ready to greet their client. Mimi hurried to line up with her, pausing to pick up the portable sound system which they needed for their act.

"Hi! I'm so glad you're on time," the mother was saying. "The children are all gathered in the family room donwstairs with their parents looking after them. I wanted you to be a surprise for them."

It must be a spli-level house, Mimi thought, although that wasn't obvious from the outside.

"Mrs. Ishida?" Sora asked.

"Yes, I'm Kari Ishida. Toshi and Neeka are my children."

"I'm Sora Takeneuchi and this is my partner..."

Mimi, too busy to listen to their conversation, turned around to join Sora and smiled at their client.

"...Mimi Tachikawa."

The smile froze on Mimi's face as recognition hit. Kari Ishida was Kari Kamiya , Tai'ssister andMatt's sister-in-law, wife of his younger brother Takeru! She'd been sweet and kind when they were younger. Her looks didn't change that much, she still had the same hairstyle only longer and her clothes were very stylish and coordinated.

"Mimi Tachikawa?" Kari repeated. "You're not...?" Her eyes stared searchingly at her face. "Yes, you are! Mimi Tachikawa, after all this years..." She shook her head in amazement. "I was Kari Kamiya, remember? We used to hang out together and go to the same school?"

"Kari..." Mimi repeated numbly, her heart sinking like a stone in a river.

"Oh my goodness! It must be, what? Seven years? The last time I saw you was at Yamato's twenty-first birthday, and you sang for him, didn't you?" Her face beamed with pleasure. "I can't believe you've made a career of singing!"

"One of my careers," Mimi mumbled, barely able to speak over the shock of being confronted by a member of Matt's family, and her identity revealed by Sora's introduction.

"How wonderful!" Kari excalimed, delight and avid curiosity in her eyes. She laughed when she noticed what Mimi was wearing. "I must say you make a beaituful sunflower." Her gaze turned to Sora in sparkling pleasure. "Both of you."

"Than you," Sora quickly returned. "I hope the children think so, too. If you'll show us the way...?"

"Yes, of course." Kari flashed an apologetic smile. "No time for memory lane right now." As she turned to lead them down the path to the front door, she looked appealingly at Mimi. "Maybe afterwards you'll stay for cake and drinks? I'd love to catch up on your news."

"We...we have another gig this afternoon," Mimi lied, desperate for any excuse to get away.

"Not a good idea anyway, Mrs. Ishida," Sora broke in. "It would spoil the illusion for the children. It's best that we come and go."

"Oh...I guess so." Kari looked disappointed.

"You didn't say whose birthday it was, Toshi's or Neeka's," Sora continued, taking the limelight off Mim.

"Neither, Toshi is three and Neeka's eighteen months old. Toshi was sick last weekend and he wasn't able to go to play-school. I thought I'd throw him a party to cheer him up..."

That explained the short notice, Mimi thought, still in turmoil by the terrible conicidence of coming face to face with Matt's sister-in-law. And this meeting could very well blow her cover as Maruko Iratoshi. Kari will surely tell this to everyone she knows, and that includes Matt.

"His sickness prevented us from going to Matt's 28th party. Which reminds me..."

"These things happen," Sora cut in sympathetically, waving to the front door. "Before we go in and since the children are in the family room out of sight, I think the best idea is for you to take our casette, Mrs. Ishida, and go ahead of us and plug it in all ready to play. That way we can really make a surprise entrance."

Mimi was grateful for the timely distraction. She offered the casette to Kari who took it and looked down at the control panel as Sora explained what had to be done.

"Yes, fine," she agreed. "It's okay for you to wait in the hall for a minute while I go ahead and switch it on. Don't worry, they won't see you from there." She lead them inside the house and left them waiting at the hall just above the stairs that led to the family room where the children were gathered.

"Get yourself together, Mimi," Sora whispered warningly. "I can't do this act alone."

She took a deep breath, needing the oxygen to clear her head. "Thanks for taking the heat off me, Sora."

"You lookedliked you've seen a ghost or something back there. Just forget her and concentrate on the toddlers. The show must go on."

"I won't let you down."

"You'd better not or else I'll kick you."

"I'm ready."

"Then let's do it and get out of here."

They did it. From the moment they showed their faces a dozen or so toddlers were all goggle-eyed, repeating phrases of the song, following the simple dance steps, clapping in tune with the sunflowers, and beaming with joy. With her attention all focused into the children, Mimi was barely aware of the people who sat watching her. She couldn't risk a look at Kari, and to her much surprise, TK! Matt's brother was actually watching her! Is this the end of the world? After forty minutes of excruciating, but highly amusing entertainment, she and Sora took their bows and hurriedly exited the room.

Kari, along with her husband, had to follow them to give them back their sound system. "That was absolutely marvelous!" Kari said once they were outside. "My husband and our friendsthought so, too."

"Great!" Sora replied, took out a bundle of business cards she tucked under her sleeve. "Please pass these around. It's lovely tp work from recomendations."

As Kari took them, Sora turned to TK. "Thank you so much for your help with the music. Perfect timing. Why don't you go back to thekids now? We'll see ourselves off."

"Yes, nice seeing you again Kari andTK," Mimi quickly put in, desperately hoping Matt's brother and sister-in-law would take the hint and let her escape without further questions. Unfortunately it didn't work. "No, I'll walk you to your car while my wife take care of the kids. Mimi, I've been thinking..."

_Please don't!_ Somehow she forced her mouth into a polite smile as they started walking towards their car. "It's my mother's fiftieth birthday this coming weekend," he went on, "and my wife and I are throwing a party for her on Saturday night. It's going to be a big family and friends get-together. Much like Matt's twenty-first birthday. It would really be nice if you could come..."

The reminder of Matt's twenty-first birthday lit fire inside her. Words spilled out before she could even begin to relate the invitation to her current situation with him. "That's very kind of you, TK, but I'm not free."

"Oh! Well, it would have been a great surprise to have you sing 'Happy Birthday' to mom. She always liked you, you know. She always said you have a beautiful voice."

The sheer insensitivity of that comment made Mimi grind her teeth. "I get paid for doing that now, Takeru."

TK was struck by her outburst. "I didn't mean for to only come because of that. I'm sorry if it sounded..." He sighed, his eyes begging for forgiveness. "Our families used to be close. I just thought maybe it would be nice to..."

"Maybe another time."

"Mimi, please, I wasn't asking for a...a professional freebie. We want your company. And there will be other old friends for you to catch up with."

It took another huge effort for her to force her mouth into another stiff smile, but Mimi managed it as her hand reached for the handle to the passenger door of the car. "Well, it sounds like your mother will have a wonderful party. I hope you all have a wonderful time together."

Hearing Sora open the driver's door - the cue fora fast getaway - Mimi nodded farewell. "Thanks again for the invitation. I'm afraid we must go now."

"Yes, thank you," Sora echoed. "And mayI say, Mr. Ishida, you're lucky to have a wonderful family. Your children are beautiful."

That was the best exit line Mimi has ever heard in her career. It held TK silent while Sora started the engine and they were off. Mimi lifted her hand in a last salute, wishing she hadn't said what she said. It would make the next meeting with Matt's brother awkward...IF there was a next meeting. One thing was certain though, she couldn't play the Maruko Iratoshi cover up much longer.

"I'm guessing Matt didn't ask you to this big family event?" Sora inquired sardonically.

"No, not yet."

"He didn't even mention this when you guys _talked_ last night?"

The mocking emphasis on 'talked' lead her into a heated defence. "Why should he? We just met. He doesn't kow I know his family."

Sora raised an eyebrow. "He's been fooling you all along just to get what he wants, and I bet you spent more time in bed with him than anywhere else."

"That's my private business!" Mimi clenched herhands at her friend's cynical attitude.

"Then at least open your eyes, Meems," Sora replied in exasperation. "By the end of your night with him, it wasn't Maruko Iratoshi Matt has in his head. He knows who you are, or suspects strongly enough to put it to the test. What do you think that gig we did was about?"

Thrown into confusion by Sora's certainty, Mimi lost the final line of logic thrown at her. "I don't know what you mean."

"The call came from Kari just an hour after you talked to Matt yesterday. If you can't put two and two together, I can. Before this day ends, I bet Matt knows who you really are."

"It could have been a coincidence," Mimi cried, trying to deny Sora's point.

"And pigs might fly."

"Matt couldn't have told her," Mimi argues frantically. "Kari didn't it was me until you intorduced me."

"She'll remember you eventually since you'd been friends. And I bet Matt did too. You think he's that stupid to not put two and two together?"

Her stomach started twisting.

"Face it!" Sora continued. "The game is over. He used his brother andsister-in-law to check on your real identity and they're probably on the phone right now talking to him. So, for goodness sake, don't make a fool of yourself by trying to continue this crazy lie when he turns up tonight!"

_A fool of herself?_ Sora didn't know half of it. Mimi wished she could curl up and die.

"You know, that part TK was talking about could be the party Tai invited me to," Sora muttered. "It's this Saturday night." She shot Mimi a worried look. "What are you going to do?"

She shook her head in distress. "I don't know, Sora."

"Well, I don't suppose you want to her _I told you so._ At least you've got the rest of the day to work it out."

Mimi closed her eyes, feeling too sick to talk.

"I hope you can think of something good," Sora said in a softer voice.

The sweetest revenge, Mimi thought, was also the path to hell.

* * *

AN: Poor Mimi, she's in so much trouble. I hope you guys learned a lesson here...ehem... Will Matt find out the truth about Mimi? What will he do when he does? Find out on the next chapter! Don't forget to review! Thanks! 

_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_


	13. Mimi's Wings

What's up? What's up? I hope you all had agreat holiday. Back to school again...sucks, huh? hehehe...jk! I don't know if people still do this, but I made a New Year's Resolution list (I bet not even half of my list will come true...hahaha!) and acouple of the things I wrote down is to update quicker and think of more cool ideas for my stories. So I'll start my New Years Resolution list by updating this story. We're on chapter 13 people and we're almost done! Yay!

Thank you for all the people who gave me reviews and greeted during the holidays. I really appreciate you taking time to sit in front of your computer and read my stories. Your reviews and support mean a lot to me. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Much Love!

**Chapter 13: Mimi's Wings**

Matt held his impatience in check until three o'clock to call his sister-in-law, knowing the children would need time to wind down from the excitement of the party and settle into their afternoon nap. He didn't want Kari, or TK, distracted.

He dialed their number and waited for it to be answered. Finally someone picked up and a breathless Kari said, _"Hi!"_

"It's Matt. Where were you?"

_"Cleaning up downstairs."_

"How did the party go?"

_"Oh, Matt! You'll never guess..."_

"Guess what?" His skin prickled with anticipation. It had to have happened... Mimi's deception couldn't work any longer.

_"The party went fine.And your suggestion to hire an act was brilliant. The children loved it..."_

_Get to the main point_, Matt silently urged.

_"But when the two performers arrived...Matt, one of them was Mimi Tachikawa! Remember her? The girl TK used to have alittle crush on when we were in junior high? She used to have pink hair..."_

"Yes, I do remember." Matt didn't need anymore descriptions. He remembers her _very well_ indeed. _Game over, Mimi._

_"TK and I were so surprised. We had no idea about her singing career. And she's good at it, Matt...really good. I wanted to have a chat with her but..."_

"But what?" Matt almost jumped out of his seat.

_"I don't think she was happy to see us."_

"Why do you think that?"

_"Well, we didn't really go back to memory lane. You know how people do when they meet again after so many years, but for her it was all strictly business, cutting off any personal stuff."_

_She was probably shocked,_ Matt thought.

_"But I didn't mind,"_ Kari continued, _"because I could see they were all focused on their performance. And they certainly did an awesome job."_

"I'm glad to hear that," he encouraged.

_"Anyway, TK told me he tried to invite Mimi to Mom's party.He thought it would be fun tohave her there...you know, sharing old times and new...and he really put his foot forward, Matt."_

A nasty feeling crawled down his spine. "Want to tell me about it?"

_"Well, first she said frankly that she won't be able to come 'cause she's not free. It's pretty fair since it's a late invitation. But the thing that upset me was she didn't even pause to consider if she could drop by for a while. TK said he didn't noticethe lack of ineterest in her when they were talking about it."_

Matt frowned. There should have been interest if Mimi was seriously interested in him. Maybe she was just thrown at the prospect of having to confess to him beforehand. And _he_ didn't mention his mother's upcoming birthday when they've been talking about his family. His mind was mostly into trying to figure her out.

Kari took a deep breath and continued. _"I was wishing she could come and TK made the mistake of saying how lovely it would be if she could sing for Mom, like she did for you on your twenty-first birthday."_

Matt barely stifled a groan. Talk about triggering a bad memory!

_"I was watching from the front window and I saw her give TK this look...if looks could kill, my husband would be dead now. And then she said she was paid for doing that now. She probably thought we're going to take advantage of her. It was so bad."_

"That was...very unfortunate, Kari."

_"She was so cold, and yet polite about everything. TK and I would have liked to get to know her again."_

"Perhaps you'll get another chance." Matt hoped. Was the power of attraction strong enough to override the damage done?

_"No,"_ Kari answered derisively. _"She couldn't get away fast enough. It's kind of sad 'cause we were all close once. We didn't want to make her feel like we were just using her...like her friendship didn't haveany value except for how well she can sing."_

_Using her..._ No, Mimi wouldn't think he'd been using her for sex. She asked for it...wanted it. Maybe she's the one using him? _A dream come true..._

Matt shook his head, realizing he was veering of Kari's line of thought. "TK might've hit a nerve," he said. "Like with doctors being asked for medical advice when it's supposed to be a social occasion."

_"You may be right. I guess people do get exploited in the entertainment world. And who knows what her life has been like since the Tachikawa family left Odaiba? It's been a long time. Maybe for her there's no going back."_

"No, we can't really go back." _Can't change anything we've done, either,_ Matt thought grimly.

_"I've never felt so...embarrased...so upset..."_

The nasty feeling increased. "I'm sorry you felt that, Kari."

_"Just think what TK's feeling right now since he's the one whoconfronted her about that."_

Matt never thought it would go like this. He wanted Mimi to come clean with him. The confrontation with his sister-in-law was telling him that any future with Mimi Tachikawa will be hard, if it wasn't a complete fantasy.

_"It's reallt my fault because I was the one who told TK to invite her,"_ Kari said glumly.

"There may be more to it than that," he soothed, feeling guilty in creating this situation.

_"Like what? She just doesn't want us in her life?"_

"Maybe."

_"But that's just terrible!"_

"I know."

Now he realized how deeply his actions had hurt Mimi Tachikawa seven years ago. Deliberate actions..._like her deliberate action of provocatively inviting him to join her in his own bed_. The sweetest revenge of all? Matt finding her irresistible, wanting her...wanting her beyond any doubt..._was that her dream come true?_

Kari chuckled._ "Not that you'd know much about rejection since you're such an eligible bachelor."_

Matt had a gut-wrenching feeling he was about to know. "My life isn't all a bed of roses," he said with irony. _It was more a bed of thorns._

_"Things not going so well with Katya?"_ Kari teased.

"That's history."

_"Oh! Are you bringing someone new to Mom's party?"_

"My love-life is somewhat up in the air at the moment. Not a subject for discussion."

_"Okay. Well, thanks for calling, Matt. The entertainment was a wonderful suggestion."_

"I'm glad the children enjoyed it. Give the kids a hug from me, will ya? Gotta go now."

_"No problem. It was good talkin to you."_

"Bye."

_Good..._ Nothing was fucking _good! _Matt put down the reciever, fighting the sense that at seven o'clock tonight, the woman who could have been everything he wanted, would continue to deliver her ultimate revenge...wiping him out of her life.

But could she?

No, it was time she started seeing straight. And tonight he'd set her straight. The past was past and she had to let it go. For her own sake, as well as his. Revenge didn't lead anywhere! Not anywhere good. And Matt wanted _good_for both of them.

* * *

"I'm out of here!" 

Sora's announcement went through Mimi's thoughts. She lifted her head from the pillow where it had been nuried for some time and tried to focus on her friend. "Where are you going?"

"To a movie." Her eyes flicked over to Mimi's dishevelled state. "It's obvious you don't plan on going out wiht Matt, and I'm not sticking around to be in the middle of a showdown. The Maruko Iratoshi thing was your idea, not mine."

"I can't go out with him. Not with this between us."

"He's coming here," Sora reminded her. "What are you going to do? Shut the door in his face?"

"I don't know. I don't know what I'm going to do," she cried in anguish.

"Well, Yamato Ishida didn't strike me as the kind of guy who accepted having doors shut in his face so I'm out of here. It's almost quarter to seven, Meems. You better start shaping up."

With this last statement, Sora was on her way, leaving Mimi to conduct her _private business_ strictly on her own.

Fifteen minutes to go... Pride forced her off the bed to fix her appearance. She changed her crumpled clothes and picked a white capri pants and loose blue shirt. She didn't want to emphasize her curvy figure, didn't want to look sexy to Matt's eyes.

She brushed her hair but didn't any makeup. Mimi Tachikawa, _au naturel_, she thought mockingly, staring at her reflection in the mirror. Matt couldn't say she was coming to him in different disguises and playing roles tonight. Nothing fake about a bare face.

The doorbell rang.

Her heart, which had been dead all afternoon, leapt to painful life, catapulting around her chest. That jerk! He knew, even before he swept her into his bedroom, that she was Mimi Tachikawa. Nothing that happened there had anything to do with Maruko Iratoshi - a woman he just met and strongly desired. The truth he ripped from her in the heat of intimacy had been cold-bloodedly calculated to give him the upper hand in any further encounter with him.

She wanted him.

She begged for him.

She made love to him.

Burning witht these embarrassing memories, Mimi forced her legs to carry her through the appartment to the front door where Matt was standing behind. She didn't want to open the door, but Sora was right. He wasn't going away. And she was curious to know how he would explain his behavior this time around. Why he brought TK and Kari into it today made no sense at all. He didn't need their confirmation of her identity. It was a cruel plot, like a cat playing with a mouse before he pounced. Just like he did on Monday night.

On a burst of anger at his duplicity, Mimi unlocked the door and pulled it open, determined on facing Matt's confidence in manipulating what _he_ wanted. Her honey brown eyes were as hard and as lethal as bullets, but the bullets hit a totally unexpected shield before they reached their target.

Her wings!

He was holding out her fairy princess wings...and they were fully restored to their former glory...no trace of damage at all!

* * *

AN: I guess it's about time we stop here. I was thinking of continuing it, but I thought it won't do harm to put a lil' cliffhanger every now and then (hahahaha!)...What do you think will happen now? 

Don't forget to review! lolz


	14. An Old Watch

Okay, I know I've disappointed many of you with that cliffhanger I put in chapter 13. But hey, I think every author's bound to do it at least once in their story. It makes it more interesting, don't you think? Anyways, I've received a handful of great reviews and I'm really happy that most of you like this story. You guys rock!

Oh yeah, before you start reading, I'd like to warn you that there is a part here that's pretty...ehem...you know. So if you want to skip that part, it's fine, but don't forget to review!

**Chapter 14: An Old Watch**

One look at Mimi was enough to tell Matt there will be no playing happy couple tonight. Tension whipped through him at the obvious evidence that all female features for generating sexual attraction had been abandoned. No makeup, not even a dash of lipstick. And her clothes were more suitable for housework than for greeting a man whose interest she wanted to keep.

The word _wipe-out_ was telegraphed to him loud and clear. Which meant she had been playing him all along to deliver the headest, punch-in-th-heart rejection she could. Anger pumped into a fierce wave of aggression. He didn't deserve this. And he wouldn't stand for it.

"Open the door wider so I can bring these wings in for you," he instructed, determined to catch her off guard long enough to get inside. "We don't want them damaged again."

Apparently stunned by seeing them fixed, she stepped aside and let him in. Matt carried them right through the wall next to the hallway which obviously led to the bedrooms. He was now in the heart of her territory and he wasn't about to give up the ground he made.

* * *

Mimi closed the door automatically, standing against it as she watched the unbelievable proff that he cared enough to actually follow through on his declared intention. But when did he have time to fix the broken wings? She felt as confused as she had at seeing them in his office last time. 

"How did you do it?" she asked, still seized by a sense of disbelief.

He turned to her with an ironic little smile. "I called a fancy costume-maker last Monday and passed everything to her."

Her confusion flattened out. "Someone else did it?"

"I want them to be perfect again."

"It must have cost a lot," she muttered, remembering Sora's cynical attitude about it. "I guess you've found that money smooths the way to anything you want."

His chin lifted slightly, his eyes narrowing into slits at her unappreciative response to his effort. "I simply wanted to please you."

"You mean, take it," Mimi snapped. "A whole lot of secret pleasure in Mimi Tachikawa up the garden path and seeing how far she would go."

His head jerked in surprise at the accusation. The anger that had been stored up inside her all afternoon finally spilled out, her eyes blazing contempt for his trickery.

"Don't think you can fool me anymore, Matt. I know you know who I am. I can pinpoint precisely when you realized who I am. Your comment about me over dinner..."

"So why didn't you come out with the truth then?" he shot back at her. "Why lie in the first place, and why continue the lie, despite every chance I gave you to admit who you are? Seems to me I was the one being set up as the fool."

She folded her arms protectively, preparing herself to any firepower he thought he had against her. "I didn't want you to connect me to any memories you had about Mimi in the past."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because I know you didn't really like me before. You didn't like me following you around and associating with you."

His mouth thinned, biting back any further denial.

"Maruko Iratoshi let me become _me_ now," she cried, hating the knowledge he kept to pursue his own way with her. "She gave me the chance to meet you without you thinking of me like that. _Me_now, Matt, and then it stopped being _me. _You should have told me instead of playing your own secret game."

"It was _your_ game," he retorted, anger blazing into his eyes. "And I didn't know what the hell you were up to."

"If it worried you, why didn't you come straight out with it and confronted me?"

"And have you walk away from me?"

"Like you did from me before? A bit of guilt there, huh, Matt? Did you assume I was out to get you and then dump you?"

His cheeks suddenly felt hot. "It was a possibility."

"So instead of risking that possibility, you made a came where you showed yourself as the good guy, telling me all that bullshit about your life."

"It was the truth!" He shot back, anger rising in him.

She tossed her head. "Well, you certainly weren't standing aside for anything this time. It was straight up to your apartment, into your bedroom..."

"You could have stopped it anytime," he cut in, the air between them sizzling with heat.

"So could you," she replied, and out poured the bitter feelings his deception stirred. "You were getting a kick out of it because you knew I once had a crush on you, and here I was, all grown up enough to whisk off to bed. Did it feel great, getting me admit I wanted you, driving me to the edge, then holding off to make me bed for you..."

"Damn it!" he exploded, his hands whipping up in an emphatic gesture of frustration. "You're twisiting everything around. I just wanted you to admit who you were. I wanted it to be real between us, Mimi."

"How much more flesh-and-blood _real_ can you get?"

"I didn't think you'd go that far and when you did, still without identifying yourself - and I gave you every chance, Mimi - " He started walking towards her, his hands spreading in appeal.

"You stop right there, Ishida!" she commanded, her eyes flaring a fierce warning. "I'm calling the shots now!"

He stopped, his hands falling to his sides, clenching. "You were calling them all along, Mimi. The fairy princess act you played was designed to stir me up, and don't you deny it."

"Yes," her chin went up in pride. "I wanted to get a different reaction from you than what I got at your twenty-first birthday party."

"A sweet slice of revenge." He nodded as though he'd known it all along, his eyes accusing as he read more into it. "Did it give you a kick, doing the walking away after you sang to me this time around?"

Mimi refused to feel guilty. He made her pay for what little vengeance she'd taken on him. "That was my intention," she said frankly. "But when you kissed me..." The memory of her response caused her to blush. "...it messed everything up for me and I wished I hadn't done it."

"Until you had second thoughts and came to my office to see if there was more _reaction_ from me," he bit out grimly. "And when there was, you carried it further...and further...taking me where you _wanted _it to go. And don't you deny that, either."

"I didn't know you had Mimi Tachikawa in your mind," she shot back at him in a fury of resentment.

"But you had _me _in _your _mind." He started walking towards her again. "_You_ were remembering. All this time you were rememebering. Asking me all this questions, putting me on trial. Did you think I didn't notice that?"

"I never meant for you to notice it," she countered, although what he said was true, making her uneasy about he own private agenda and quickly made a defence. "I just wanted to find out where I stood with you."

"Without letting me know where I stood with you," he mocked. "And just how long were you planning to continue this game, Mimi? When will Maruko Iratoshi going to turn into you? When you had enough of me so you could do what you meant to do in the first place? Leaving me wanting you and walk away?"

"I wasn't out for revenge. Not after the fairy princess thing. I just wanted to be sure I wasn't some one-night affair to you before I opened up. I would have told you once I felt safe with you," she defended, stepping and ufolding her arms, ready to fight as he closed in on her.

He came to a stop directly in front of her, using the power of his physique to make her feel she was on the judgement stand. His eyes glittered in challenge as he continued his cross-examintaion.

"So why did you treat my TK and Kari like that...if you really wanted some future with me? You rejected their attempt at reviving an old friendship and their invitation to a family celebration."

"I was in shock. The coincidence...except it wasn't a coincidence," she threw at him bitterly. "Yoou shouldn't have dragged your family in it."

"It was the only way I could think of to make you stop hiding from me. And to get the truth out from you. I needed to know what was in your heart...hope for some future with me or revenge for what you obviously assumed as my rejection to you."

It had been hope, but it was obvious there was no hope of any understanding between them now. The situation was unrepearable and damaged by her lies and his reaction to it, making it impossible to see where the truth lay anymore.

His eyes went down to her clothes. "From the way you're dressed, I think the answer is clear. You're even standing by the door to show me out."

Is this the end of what started so wondefully Monday night? Is what she wanted? Her heart screamed no. Her mind scrambled to find some grace. Before she could say or do anything, he moved towards her. His hands fell on her shoulders, curling around them as though he was going to shake her.

"Not yet, Mimi. Before I leave...I'll give you the sweetest revenge of all."

His face was so close to hers, his eyes were like magnets, drawing her soul. Her mind was torn, wanting to deny she'd ever thought of this pretense.

His grasp loosened and his hands slid along her shoulders, up her throat, cupping her face as he with an intesity that gripped her heard and squeezed it. "I want you, Mimi Tachikawa. Even knowing you're intention on twisting the knife and turning me out of your life, I still want you. Even after all this secrets and lies, I still want you."

His fingers stroked her cheeks slowly, into her hair above her ears. "Is that sweet to hear?" His eyes burned into hers. "Let me make it even sweeter for you. This way it's much better to taste the wanting, feel the wanting."

Her heart was beating so hard she can't think. Can't move, either. His head was beding and she he was going to kiss her. The sizzle of challenge was in his eyes, making her blood boil, the memories of what they shared Monday night came to her like a flash flood.

Then his mouth was covering hers. His warm lips seductive, igniting tingles of excitement. His tongue tantalizing, not forcing an opening but holding out the tempting promise of deep passion surging between them.

Helplessly distracted with the situation, Mimi couldn't resolve what was right and wrong. And her mouth wanted a deeper kiss, a more passionate kiss. Without thinking, her lips parted of their own accord and let Matt's tongue in. Instant sensation filled her. His kiss was so good, so passionately penetrating, resisting it was impossible. It triggered a fierce response.

Her went around his head, fingers through his hair, holding him to her. He dropped his arms, wrapped them around her back and pulled her body into hard-pressed contact with his. There could be no mistaking of his arousal, his desire for her. The wanting was not a lie. She _could_ taste it, feel his hard masculinity, every inch of him straining to satisfy his need to capture and posses her whole body.

She felt his hand move inder her shirt, sliding up her bare back and unclipping her bra. The instant she felt his hand cupping her breast, a shot of alertness came to her. _Is this right...this mind-blowing drive for sexual release?_

She was aware of his hand gliding under her arm, reaching the soft swell of her flesh, fingers encircling and softly squeezing, his thumb teasing her nipple which was so hard and aroused. The shock of pleasure had her moaning for more. She didn't want to stop it, didn't want to pause to consider anything.

Until he stopped it, dropping his hand to the waist band of her capri, trying to pull it down. The realization that he meant to take her right here up against the door, shook Mimi out of her thought. _Is this the only level of wanting Matt felt for her? Is her using sex just to keep her with him...for more sex?_

She felt pain in her heart. Her hands slammed against his shoulders as she pulled her mouth from his. "No!" She threw back her head, breathing for air. "No!" It was an anguished cry, hating herself for her actions.

"That was the me and you now, Mimi. You feel it and I feel it. Give us a chance," Matt pleaded, his eyes full of hope and sadness.

His arms wrapped around her again, hands curling around her butt, lifting her so she could fit into his erection, reminding her of what they shared before. "What we have together is very special," he declared, his voice throbbing in her ears. "You know it is. And I won't let you walk away from it just because I did what I thought was best for you seven years ago."

_Best for her!_

He was lying!

The wanting now was no lie, but he was trying to manipulate her feelings, just as he manipulated them on Monday night, today, and the arrangement he did with his brother and sister-in-law. This was Matt wanting his own way, getting his own way, not thinking about what she felt. Just like seven years ago.

She slammed her hands against his chest and pushed with all her strength. "Let me go! Get away from me!"

He stepped back, releasing her and lifting his hands in appeal, his face angry at her rejection. "Why?" he demanded. "You were going along with me. Just like you were when we made love Monday night. I wasn't forcing myself on you."

"No, but doesn't override everything else. At least, not for me," she cried, her eyes accusing him of taking unfair advantage of her vulnerability.

"It's the one thing honest between us," he claimed.

"Maybe, but I want more honesty than straight-out lust. _Best for me_," she mocked. "All you've ever cared about is what was _best for you_. You didn't care about my feelings seven years ago and you don't care about them now...you only cared about yourself."

His face tightened as though she had physically slapped him. He shook his head. When he met her eyes again, his eyes were no longer fired up to fight her. "I didn't think it was best for you, Mimi," he said quietly. "You were a very special person. Too special to let your life be so focused on me. At nineteen, there was more for to you discover, to explore. You were so sweet and innocent, I didn't want you to concentrate on me when you should be concentrating on your studies."

His reasoning opened old wounds. It felt as though he was the wise adult explaining something to a child and she was no longer a child. "If I was so special, why didn't you even try to looking for me, Matt? After the time I should discover what you thought I should discover."

He shrugged. "Life happens. You moved away and I got involved in business."

The flat statement made her even more mad. "The truth is you never really thought of me until that day when I entered your life again."

"No, that's not true." He took a deep breath and grimaced as he sighed. "I can't change the past. I'm sorry you were so hurt by my decision. I know I didn't handle it well."

The memory of that night came back...the need to show him, to see appreciation and understanding in his eyes. Only it wasn't there. She searched his eyes now, wanting evidence fo what he really felt for her. There was not so much as a spark in them...sad, lifeless, defeated.

"After that..." he went on, his voice softer with a sadness in it that took her attention. "Well, I thought your life would have grown a long way away from me. And it has...too far for me to reach you. I wish I was different...but there are no second chances."

He reached into his shirt pocket and brought something out. A watch! An old watch! Mimi's heart came it life when recognition hit her. Could this be the watch she had given him...

"Take it," he commanded gruffly.

She did, turning it over to see. There on the back was the tiny initials of her name inside a small heart. He kept it after all there years...

"I may not have looked for you, Mimi, but I never forgot you."

Before she could even lift her head, or think of a word to say, he stepped around her, opened the door and wlaked out of her life.

* * *

AN: Phew! And that's the end people! Hahahah! I'm just kidding! But it's a nice cut-off don't you think? People will surely be wanting more. I am so mean...harharhar! lolz 

Don't forget to review!

P.S. Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask this, how many of you like reading action fics? adventure fics? fantasy fics? mystery fics? or just good old romance fics? You see, I'm thinking of something to write after this story and I'm planning on changing gears for once. But if you guys want me to continue on with my romance fics, just say so in your review and I'd be glad to make another one.


	15. One More Chance

This might sound sad, but all stories come to an end. Oh yeah, if you've noticed, I made a lot of errors in the previous chapter. I hope you forgive me for that. Hopefully that won't happen again. Anyways, I want to thank those people who gave their suggestions on what I should write about next. You guys helped me out a lot and since you've been very cooperative, I'll share a tiny part of what's in store for you in my next story.

All right, let's go on with the show. Don't forget to review and check out "SEEKING JUSTICE."! Lolz (There's a preview for you below!)

**Chapter 15: One More Chance**

Mimi carefully sprayed silver glitter over the long gleaming waves of her hair. It was important to get her appearance absolutely right…as well as everything else. The fairy princess had to work real magic tonight. This was going to be the most critical performance of her whole life. Any possible future with Matt depended on it.

Hopefully he'll realize it was hope driving her, not revenge. Yet as she put the spray can down on her dressing-table and her gaze fell once more on the gift watch he returned to her, fear gripped her stomach. Had she killed hope…rejecting his explanations, rejecting his inner angst over her motives, rejecting the sexual attraction between them, rejecting everything he was?

She picked up the watch and rubbed her thumb over the tiny initials. She _must_ do this.

She slipped the watch into her handbag. Matt kept it for seven years, he didn't throw it away. Maybe it would act as a good-luck charm, wishing Matt won't throw her away tonight.

Her refection on the mirror told her she was ready. It didn't matter if she made a total fool of herself. She already lost the most important thing in her life, what more can she lose? Her heart skipped at the thought of Matt looking at her again as though she was the most beautiful woman in the world to him.

She took a deep breath and set off on the journey that would settle her future with him one way or another. Tai picked up Sora two hours ago so the party of Matt's mother should be in full swing by now. Her appearance would be a surprise to them, and Mimi could only hope Sora would understand.

Confiding in her friend might have triggered a nasty discussion and to Mimi's mind, there was nothing to discuss. Only this action could give her another chance with Matt. And she had the excuse that TK and Kari invited her to come and sing. If Matt didn't respond…well, she could leave right away.

The newly fixed fairy wings and magic wand had already been carefully placed in the car, along with the music she needed. Mimi made sure she had everything before setting herself in the driver's seat. The trip from her apartment to the posh compound of the Ishida family was quite easy, though it didn't help much on her nerves. When she finally reached her destination, she found it packed with people and crowded with parked cars. To her relief, there was enough space left to park her car off the road and close to the house. It blocked a couple of cars but Mimi ignored it.

She fumbled with the fairy wings, fumbled with the wand, and fumbled with the cassette. It was a major effort getting all the necessary items out of the car without dropping them, even more difficult to position the wings properly on the back of her dress. She wished Sora was there to help her, but even now she felt it was wrong to involve her friend in what was…as Sora said…her private business.

Once she settled her wings properly, and focused her mind on continuing what she planned to do, Mimi managed to walk down the path without slipping. The noise inside the house seemed to be coming from the backyard, which, she told herself, would make her entrance easier. Silently reciting her small speech about being hired to perform an act, she rang the doorbell and hoped that whoever answers the door will believe her explanation.

_What if it was Matt?_

Her heart stopped with the shock of that thought. Dizziness clouded her mind. She stood frozen until the door opened and she was faced with a blessed miracle. It was Kari.

"Mimi…?" she asked in astonishment.

Words started to come out. "I've come to sing for your mother-in-law…um, TK's mom. He asked me… I can fit it in my schedule after all and I thought… He said it will be something special if I…"

"Oh! What a lovely surprise!" Kari instantly hugged her. "I'm so glad you could make it." Her eyes were busily taking in the fairy princess costume. "You look wonderful, Mimi."

"Does this mean its all right then?"

"Why, of course!"

"Are they all downstairs?"

Kari's eyes sparkled with pleasure. "Yes, all of them are partying downstairs. Mom said it's better there since it has an access to the backyard. Wait here a minute and I'll herd everyone into the family room. We can make it the same kind of surprise you gave the children."

Relief filled Mimi's body. "That would be perfect, Kari."

An anxious frown suddenly appeared. "I'll pay you for this, Mimi…"

"No. Please…let's just do it. If you leave this door open a little bit, I can come in when I hear the music…"

Kari hesitated a moment. "Well, we can talk about it afterwards. Can you stay?"

"Yes," Mimi said with a hope and a prayer.

"I'm so glad!" Kari gave a big smile. "Give five minutes to get everyone in place. Just slip in and close the door behind you when the coast is clear and you'll be at the top of the stairs ready to make your entrance when the music starts. Okay?"

"Okay. Thanks Kari. There'll be two songs and "Happy Birthday" is second."

"This is fabulous, Mimi. Mom's going to love it." Excitement beamed from her face. "Okay, I'm off to set the scene."

Luck was with her. Mimi prepared herself as she waited, hearing Kari ordering people around, footsteps obeying her, and the party noise lowering to a mood of expectancy. She took a peek around the door and when she saw the coast was clear, she carefully walked into the foyer. Her fingers gripped the fairy wand hard as she wished for more luck, all the luck in the world.

It was quiet below.

She stopped at the head of the staircase leading to the basement and tried to keep her legs from trembling on the way down. She swallowed hard to moisten her throat. The music started, providing the right backing for her voice. She took a deep breath. This was it! No going back. The cue came…and she sang, pouring all the hope and longing from her heart and soul into the words…

_**Let me be your wings…**_

_**Let me be your only love**_

_**Let me take you far beyond the stars**_

Never had her voice been so true, so powerful…but Mimi didn't know it. She sang because she had to and she walked down the stairs with all the poise and majestic dignity of a fairy princess on her mission of a lifetime, not hearing the surprise and appreciation, nor the hush settling as she descended to where the guests were gathered.

_**Let me be your wings  
Let me lift you high above  
Everything we're dreaming of will soon be ours**_

Kari obviously ordered them to circle the family room and those standing across the stairs shifted to make room for Mimi. Furniture had been moved back against the walls, probably to give plenty of space for dancing. The center of the room was completely empty.

_**Anything that you desire  
Anything at all  
Everyday I'll take you higher  
And I'll never let you fall**_

As Mimi glided past the circled and surprised guests, she saw Matt's parents, Narita and Yomuki, seated in armchairs at the far end. Beside them stood their family, Matt and TK beside their mother and Kari and her two kids beside their father. All of them…except Matt…were smiling broadly, enjoying the surprise.

_**Let me be your wings  
Leave behind the world you know  
For another world of wondrous things**_

_**We'll see the universe  
And dance on Saturn's rings  
Fly with me and I will be your wings**_

Mimi did her best to block his grim look out of her mind as she proceeded to the center of the room, though she was conscious of her heart skipping into a faster beat. She couldn't let fear control her.

_**Anything that you desire  
Anything at all  
Everyday I'll take you higher  
And I'll never let you fall**_

She caught sight of Cora, and it was a relief to see her friend nodding approval and giving a thumbs-up sign.

_**You will be my wings  
You will be my only love  
Get ready for another world of wondrous things **_

We'll see the universe  
And dance on Saturn's rings

_Will Matt give me a chance? A chance to lift him up and show him my love?_ Mimi's whole being wished for it to come true as she stopped and faced his mother to deliver the last lines of the song.

_**Heaven isn't too far  
Heaven is where you are**_

Pouring faith, hope and love through her voice, needing to reach him, offering the chance…another chance…if he wanted to take it. She spread out her arms in a gesture of giving, wanting him to understand, and the last lines was a cry to him, if only his heart was open enough to hear it.

**_  
Stay with me and  
Let me be your wings…_**

Loud applause erupted after the final note faded into silence. Narita Ishida's face was filled with emotion, smiling through tears. Yomuki gave her a handkerchief, nodding at Mimi. She smiled back at both of them and risked a quick glance at Matt. He was not smiling, but his head was cocked to one side, his eyes narrowed on her and his expression changed to a judging look.

Mimi's heart jumped with wild hope. She wasn't facing a cold wall of resistance. At least he wasn't avoiding her gaze.

Kari ordered everyone to quiet down; waving her hands to tell everybody there was one more. The intro of the song started and Matt noticed it wasn't the sexy musical Mimi did for him on his 28th birthday. It was more the sentimental and traditional version of 'Happy Birthday,' and she gave took a couple of steps forward, lifting the wand to release a sprinkling of magic glitter as she completed the song.

"Make a wish," she softly urged as she bent to kiss Narita's warm cheek and whisper her own personal greeting, "A very happy birthday to you."

"Thank you, my dear," she replied gently. "You made it extra special."

"I sang that song to her once. _Let Me Be Your Wings_," Yomuki said gruffly. "You sang it better than Jodi Benson, Mimi. It's so wonderful to have you here."

"My pleasure," she mumbled, touched by their compliments.

"Kari…" Yomuki turned and called his daughter-in-law. "Play that music again. Narita and I are going to dance to it."

"Is it okay if I play it again, Mimi?" Kari asked eagerly.

"Sure, go ahead."

Steeping aside to allow room for Mr. and Mrs. Ishida, Mimi found herself lined up next to TK who instantly caught her free hand and squeezed it, drawing her startled attention to him. He grinned at her, his eyes held the same kindness as before.

"Great singing!" he complimented. "Thank you for coming, Mimi. You're wonderful."

_And very desirable_… Matt thought. He was watching her. His eyes burning with questions that went through her soul. _Why are you here? What do you want? How much is real? Is it hope or revenge?_

The music started again.

"Would you like to dance?" TK asked.

"No!"

TK's head jerked in surprise to his big brother.

Matt blushed and tried to control his soaring emotions. "Sorry, bro, I'm claiming this dance. I'm sure Kari's waiting for you to dance with her."

TK smiled at him, he knew his brother sowell. He released Mimi's hand to raise both of his in an appeasing gesture. "Take it easy! I have no intention of stealing her from you. I'm just making you jealous…"

"Okay…okay…now go." Matt felt his face burning when Mimi gave him a look of surprise.

"See you two later." TK left, winking at Mimi, and went to dance with his giggling wife.

Matt stepped forward and pulled Mimi close to him, his eyes blazing into hers. Her heart catapulted around her chest as the arm around her waist pulled her closer, very firmly and possessively in its strength of purpose.

"Hold it right there you two!" Sora's voice whipped in. "I'll take that." She snatched the wand out of Mimi's hand. "Tai…" she passed it to him, "…I've got to take her wings and pin up the train of her dress so nothing gets torn." Which she proceeded to do in lightning speed as Tai stood carrying the wings and the wand for safe-keeping.

"Sora's right. No more damage," Tai told them.

"You can dance now," she informed them. "Or fight. Or carry on like a couple crazy in love."

"Are you guys done?" Matt growled, the tension flowing from him wrapping around Mimi and holding her still.

"Yes, sir!" Sora assured him. "Tai, now that we've rescued the fairy princess costume, let's get out of the danger zone."

"I'm with you, babe."

Off they sailed in happy harmony with each other…twin souls who are completely satisfied with their world, leaving Mimi and Matt to fix whatever problem they had.

Matt took Mimi's now wand less hand, interlacing his fingers with hers to seal his grip. "Tell me this is no game, Mimi," he demanded.

"It's no game…I promise," she answered gently.

His parents twirled past. "Are you two dancing or what?" his mother asked in amusement.

Rather than draw more curious and interfering attention, Matt pushed his feet into dancing, pulling Mimi closer as he moved her to the slow beat of the song. She was a little conscious of his thighs brushing hers, her beasts pressing against the warm wall of his chest. Her heart seemed to be thumping in her ears. She barely heard the music.

He bent his head beside hers and she heard the words he said, although they were barely above a soft whisper. "Is this a new start for us?"

_Did he want it?_

Panic seized Mimi. She had to say the right words and make this chance different to the last one. "I did it all wrong in the beginning, using a false name. And I'm sorry I messed everything up between us," she pleaded anxiously. "My only excuse is…as Mimi Tachikawa, I felt so…so vulnerable, Matt."

His chest rose and fell, and she felt his sigh flow warmly through her hair. Then came the low, regretful words… "I moved too fast. I cursed myself for it afterwards. Maybe if I let you go on as Maruko Iratoshi, you might've learnt to trust me."

He was thinking back, not forward. She didn't hear hope in his voice, only sadness for mistakes he made, and Mimi felt a dark weight pulling her heart.

The music stopped.

Matt released her from his embrace, and for one terrible moment, Mimi felt sad. It was over. There was no chance. Then he took her hand again, "Come with me!"

He pulled her with him, walking past guests who were now loudly singing 'Happy Birthday' to Matt's mother. He sled open a glass door which led onto a patio and lead her outside, quickly shutting the door behind them. They walked to the end of the patio, around the corner of the house and into a pool of darkness.

"We should be private here," he muttered, dropping her hand and moving away a few paces, establishing distance between them before turning to face her.

Mimi didn't know what his actions meant. At least he was still with her. He wanted to talk, if nothing else, and talking might help. But her mind was incapable of producing anything to say.

"The issue was always on trust, wasn't it?" he asked, shaking his head as though he was thinking otherwise. "I broke it so bad seven years ago…"

"Let's no go back to the past, Matt," she begged, only wanting a future with him.

"I have to make you understand, Mimi. We can't just ignore this," he said vehemently. "I need you to know you were special to me. You had this way of looking at me…your eyes so full of innocent trust…like you believed nothing bad could happen to you because I was there to look after you."

"It's called hero-worship, Matt," she said, wanting to stop him from looking back, scared that it couldn't lead anywhere good.

"No, it was more. No one else ever gave me that sense of…pure love. It made me want to live up to it. I guess I got carried away, Mimi, until I came to realize how selfish that was. I convinced myself I was giving you something…a better life…when I cut you off. But I just broke your heart and your trust in me."

It was _true love_, Mimi wanted to cry, but she bit her lips, not brave enough to speak the truth.

"I hated myself for doing it," he went on. "Knowing I broke your trust hit me so hard. I wanted you to trust in me again, and when you didn't, I began to not trust you instead of facing up to what I've done and the consequences of it."

He spread his hands in an urgent gesture of appeal. "I swear this is true, Mimi. I've been a kind of jerk these past seven years. None of the relationships I've had ever felt really important or vital to me. Then, just a week ago…"

He walked back to her, his hands lightly curling around her shoulders, his eyes seeking and wanting to know her heart. "…I met a fairy princess. And when she kissed me, it was like magic filling my whole body."

"Mine, too, Matt," she whispered. "That's why I came dressed like this tonight, hoping for another chance."

"Mimi…" He sucked in a quick breath and kissed her, and she responded with all the passionate urgency of wanting everything to be right between them, for the magic to burst forth and dispel the shadows that had plagued both of them. The past didn't matter. Only the present mattered. Now with Yamato. And the journey they could take from here.

It was so good…feeling him wanting her, feeling free to want him right back, and knowing she was as special to him as he was to her.

"I'll do everything I can to earn your trust again. Just give me a chance, Mimi," he breathed into her ear.

"Hold on to me, Matt. Don't let me go."

"Never, never." And he kissed her with that vow on his lips and in his heart. Her own heart pounded in union with his, swelling with the love that had always been there for him.

"Matt?...Mimi…?" Kari's voice calling.

Matt ended their kiss on a ragged sigh. "Yes…what?" he answered reluctantly, like he didn't want to stop what he was doing.

"I'm about to bring the cake for Mom. I want you in there with the rest of us."

"Be there in a minute," he promised. He eased back, lifting his hands to gently cup Mimi's face. "Are you okay with this…facing my family with me?"

"Are you?"

"No problem for me. I'm only too happy to have you at my side and let everyone know it's where I want to be."

"Then I'm happy with that, too."

His thumb tenderly touched her cheek. "I will look after you, Mimi."

"I do trust you to do that, Yama…" before she could finish, he kissed her again.

"This is the start of us being really together." His smile was filled with joyful relief.

"Yes," she agreed, smiling her own joyful relief.

And together they walked back into the house…holding hands…leaving the darkness behind. There was no place for darkness in their hearts. They carried magic with them. Magic that will serve wings to fly them together to their future.

* * *

AN: So how'd you like it? The song Mimi sang is called _Let Me Be Your Wings_ from the movie 'Thumbelina.' I chose this song because I felt that it goes with the whole 'fairy princess thing with the fairy wings.' I personally love this song and it's one of my favorites. Do you guys want an Epilogue? There's actually another ending (that's the Epilogue part) but if you guys are contented with this one, then it's fine. 

I hope you guys enjoyed reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. And I hope I didn't make too many errors…lolz!

Don't forget to review!

* * *

Here's a small preview of my upcoming Mimato fic "**SEEKING JUSTICE**". It came from this novel that I recently read. It's a Mystery/Romance/Action story. Please tell me what you think.

_Eyes burning with fear, Mimi leaned forward and her scent of warm vanilla sugar teased him. "I can't go back, Matt. I can't just sit there and wait for the next shot through the window."_

_He crouched beside her and reached for her hand, trying to ignore the temptation of touching her brought. He thought the distance of years made him immune to her power to dazzle him. But there it was, fizzing through his veins like a make-believe world. Without that power, he loses everything._

"_You don't get it."_

"_He's just a man, Mimi, not some sort of superhero."_

"_He owns me."_

_Matt pounded a fist against the tabletop. "Nobody owns anybody."_

_She turned her face away from him. "As long as he is alive, he will find me."_

"_Not if we destroy him."_

* * *

"_Hold off on picking up the chocolates," he told his assistant when she called in._

_The sound of traffic buzzed in the background. "But I'm just about there," she whined._

"_The lawyers are working something out. I can open the box myself." Satisfaction bubbled deep inside him, and he struggled to keep his emotions in check for the bullet-headed, brawny-armed guard listening in on his conversation._

_He couldn't wait. A day…maybe two. How could they resist his ruse when he dangled a bigger prize than he was in front of their noses?_

'_Oh, sweet Mimi, I'll get to taste you again before I squeeze the life out of your soft center.' Just as she squeezed the life out of his future._

AN: Don't even think about asking who the bad guy is coz I'm not telling…hehehe! lolz


	16. Epilogue

Here's the much awaited epilogue you guys have been asking about. It's not that long, but I hope it's enough to satisfy you all. If you want to see what I think Mimi looks like in this story, there's a link for you below so you can check it out. Don't forget to review!

* * *

**EPILOGUE**

"Congratulations, Matt!" Tai grinned at him as he lifted his glass of champagne.

Matt grinned back. "Thanks."

They stood just outside the dance room, taking a short break from the crowd of family and friends within. Mimi and Sora had gone to freshen up and Matt didn't want to socialize with the wedding guests without his bride at his side.

"Right woman, right place," Tai went on approvingly, and then cocked a teasing eyebrow. "Don't know about the time though. It's only been four months."

Matt shook his head. He'd been waiting for her all his life.

"Sora keeps saying you charge like a bull, rushing everything."

"Well, I don't notice the grass growing much under your feet, my friend," Matt tossed back at him. "That's some emerald Sora is flashing on her engagement finger."

"I don't plan on loosing that lady. But there's a lot to be said for a long courtship. I'm in no hurry whatsoever."

"We're both coming out winners…"

"And we're not even thirty yet!" Tai declared with immense satisfaction.

Matt laughed at his friend. Age had nothing to do with how he felt about Mimi. She lit up his life in so many ways, he could only marvel at how lucky he was that she took her revenge on him on this very same hotel four months ago…the sweetest revenge, was the best thing that ever happened to his life.

"Hey! What are you doing out here?"

They both turned to see Takeru who was proudly carrying out his role of groomsman to his big brother.

"Waiting for our women," Tai answered. "They left us to powder their noses."

"And very pretty noses they are," Matt commented, grinning at his brother.

"You guys have won prizes with Mimi and Sora."

"You've got one pretty prize too," Matt pointed at Kari who was happily chatting with his mom.

Neither spoke as TK looked across the room to his wife. As if some magic force controlled her, Kari looked at his husband at the same time and gave him a dazzling smile. "I love you, baby!"

TK flushed as he read his wife's lips. Matt and Tai chuckled.

"Aren't you gonna mouth to her you love her back?" Matt teased.

"I bet you guys have plans tonight, huh?" Tai added.

Before TK can say anything, Mimi and Sora came around the corner and saw the three men together. "What's going on here?" Sora inquired.

The two older men just laughed as TK scratched his head.

"Nothing, we're just talking about you two and how pretty your noses are." Tai answered.

Mimi and Sora both rolled their eyes.

"Tai," Sora took his free hand to hers and started pulling him. "Can we dance?"

"We sure can, babe."

He thrust his champagne into TK's hand and followed Sora to the dance floor.

"Do you want to dance, too?" Matt asked as Mimi resumed walking towards him.

"I'd rather steal a few quiet moments with you," she answered.

"Right!" said TK, taking his brother's champagne glass. "A good groomsman knows how to look after the bride and groom's needs. I'll make sure you to get your quiet time."

And off he marched, pausing only to whisper to Mimi, "Bringing you into the family was the best thing my brother has ever done. You two really belong together."

She gave him a small kiss on the cheek as she said, "Thank you, Takeru."

As they walked together toward an empty balcony, Matt can't stop thinking how lucky he was to have Mimi in his life. She was so breathtakingly beautiful in her wedding gown, soft and elegant, clinging to her body perfectly, and her hair gleaming like silk, rippling down her shoulders. But what he saw in her eyes was more wonderful to Matt than anything else…the love she held for him in her heart…and the trust he'd won back.

He held out his arms and she walked straight into his embrace, wrapping her own hands around his waist.

"You're wearing the watch I gave you," she said. "I didn't notice it until the speeches and you made a toast to my parents."

"It felt right to wear it today. I love you, Mimi. There never will be anyone else for me, but you, princess."

"Nor me," she murmured. "You were always the one…the love of my life."

And that was the most magical thing of all, Matt thought as he kissed her, that she'd still been waiting for him when Fate crossed their paths and gave him the chance to realize she was the one for him.

The only one.

His wife…his soul mate…the love of his life.

**The End**

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**AN:** Hope you liked it. Below are three links where you will see Mimi's wedding gown and what she looked liked as I imagined her to be in the story….lolz 

To see Mimi's look and wedding gown go to:

Front view: **www(dot)jasminebridal(dot)com/image/style(underscore)product/283/815A(dot)jpg**

Back view: **www(dot)jasminebridal(dot)com/image/style(underscore)product/283/815B(dot)jpg**

Close-up: **www(dot)jasminebridal(dot)com/image/style(underscore)product/283/815C(dot)jpg**

**P.S. Make sure to put the dot sign and underscore sign properly, or else you won't be able to see it.**


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